The interdicted police officer and a KNUST final year student, who are accused of gang-raping a first-year student of the University have been remanded again.
The police officer, Lance Corporal Frank Adu Poku and Joel Osei Owusu had been denied bail by the Asokore Mampong District court once again albeit bail application filed by their lawyers.
They were arrested on July 22, 2022 in connection with the raping of the victim three days after offence and subsequently remanded on July 28 2022.
Lawyers for the accused persons argued on the need for them to be granted bail.
The KNUST final year student counsel drew the attention of the court that the continuous incarceration of his client on the basis of a mere allegation is a violation of the rights and liberties of his client.
The counsel mentioned that it takes a very long time for the case to conclude since the case docket has been forwarded to the office of the Attorney General for advice hence, the accused should be granted bail since every offence is bailable.
Furtherance to that, the lawyer told the court that the student is a final year student and is set to write exams in order for him to graduate thereby the court should grant him bail for him to prepare ahead of the exams.
On the part of the policeman, his lawyer believes that the policeman is known person and the police also know his client’s fixed place of abode and as a result, he should be granted bail as he will cooperate with the police and attend court proceedings as well.
However, prosecution led by the Ashanti regional head of legal and prosecutions, ACP Kofi Blagodzi thinks otherwise.
According to him, the police are still conducting investigations into the case and since the Asokore Mampong District Court lacks jurisdiction to grant bail in such a case which is a first-degree felony, the lawyers should seek bail for their grants at a higher court.
He further told the court that the KNUST lawyer who was present in court has disclosed to him that processes are being followed to ensure the final year student is suspended and as such, there is no need to grant him bail to go and write his exams.
The court presided over by Buabin Quansah in his ruling said because of the public interest attached to the matter, there is a need to remand them hence remanded the accused persons for another two weeks.
By Vincent Kubi