A former police officer with the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), General Corporal Emmanuel Nyame, who had been on the run since 2019 after being accused of defiling a 13-year-old girl, has been arrested at the Kotoka International Airport upon his return from Dubai.
Nyame, who was dating the victim’s aunt at the time at Nsukwao, a suburb of the New Juaben South municipality, initially faced arrest in 2019.
Following his arrest, the Koforidua Circuit Court “B” granted him bail, with his fiancée’s two family members standing surety for a bail bond of GH¢40,000.
However, Nyame jumped bail and hid, deactivating his mobile phone numbers.
According to the facts by the prosecution, led by Regional State Attorney Mrs Emily Addo-Kyereh, on April 11, 2019, while his fiancee’ was at a funeral, Nyame took the victim under the pretext of running an errand.
He drove the victim to a drinking spot called Timberland in Koforidua, where he asked her to help a lady cook.
From there, Nyame continued with the victim to a funeral ground and later to his room at Nsukwao Police Barracks near Ghateco.
Nyame asked the victim to fold some washed clothes in the room.
He then left and returned to show her lines of different-coloured beads on his waist, claiming they were given to him by his grandmother.
Nyame then forcibly had sexual intercourse with the victim despite her protests, warning her not to tell anyone.
The victim later informed the daughter of her aunt, who then told another aunt.
The complainant, the victim’s father, reported the incident to the police, and a medical examination confirmed the assault.
Nyame denied the offence in his investigation caution statement.
However, the medical report and further investigations led to his charge of defilement of a child under 16 years.
Despite being granted bail to appear in court on August 13, 2019, Corporal Nyame absconded.
A bench warrant was issued for his arrest, and the Ghana Police Service declared him wanted, relaying information to the Ghana Immigration Service.
Investigations revealed that Nyame had left the jurisdiction, sneaking through Togo and then to Dubai.
On June 21, 2024, he was arrested by Immigration Service officials at Kotoka International Airport upon his return from Dubai and handed over to the police.
He was arraigned before the Koforidua High Court when the presiding judge of the Circuit Court was indisposed.
However, his plea was not taken after the prosecution argued that the case was pending at the Circuit Court.
On Monday, July 8, 2024, the High Court Judge His Lordship George Krofa Addae ruled that the accused remain in custody until July 27.