Emmanuel Kwesi Dawood
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Central Regional Communications Director, Emmanuel Kwesi Dawood, who was arraigned in court over allegation that he had sexual intercourse with his biological daughter and impregnated her, was yesterday remanded into police custody by a Circuit Court in Cape Coast.
Dawood, 40, was remanded by the Circuit Court 2 presided over by Her Honour Dorinda Arthur-Smith, to re-appear on October 27.
Different Cases
There are two different cases that the Central Regional DOVVSU of the Ghana Police Service are currently pursuing against Dawood.
The police have filed a case of abetment of crime relating to a supposed illegal abortion he allegedly caused to be performed on the daughter, who claims the accused impregnated her, at the Circuit Court 1 and another case of incest and defilement which is before the Circuit Court 2.
Dawood was detained overnight on Tuesday and sent to Circuit Court 1 on Wednesday morning, where he was granted GH¢30,000 bail with two sureties, one to be justified, for the charge of abetment, and was asked to return to the court on October 27.
Circuit Court 2
At the Circuit Court 2 where he was remanded until October 27, Dawood was charged with three counts of defilement, incest and assault.
On Count One, the charge read: Defilement of a female child contrary to Section 101(2) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, and said Dawood had sexual intercourse with his daughter, Rita Arhin, in 2019.
For Count Two, Dawood was charged with incest, contrary to Section 105 (1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and the offence, the prosecution said, was committed against Rita Arhin in 2019 at Agona Swedru in the Central Region.
Count Three is for assault contrary to Section 84 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and the offence was that Dawood on August 27, 2021, at Agona Swedru, unlawfully hit and stepped on the abdomen of Rita Arhin, his daughter.
The charge sheet filed, was signed by ASP Daniel Mensah Gadzo.
Official Facts
According to the Central Regional DOVVSU, “the complainant in the case is Mavis Ayite, who is unemployed and the mother of the survivor or victim Rita Arhin, aged 18 years, who stays with her grandmother, Margaret Arthur at Otabilkrom, a suburb of Agona Swedru.
“Accused Kwesi Dawood, aged 40, is the biological father to the girl and stays in the same vicinity with the survivor and grandmother at Otabilkrom.”
Luring Daughter
“During the year 2019, on a day, accused lured the survivor who was then 15 years old into his matrimonial home and informed her that he used to love her mother so much but their love could not last long hence, he wanted to replace the love for the mother to her by dating her.
“Survivor told accused that she cannot do that but accused went ahead and forcibly had sexual intercourse with the survivor in his matrimonial room at Agona Swedru.
“After the act, the accused person promised to send the daughter abroad only if she did not disclose the ordeal to anyone, but if she revealed it her life will be very miserable.”
Sexual Partners
“The accused then released the girl and she went home but did not inform anyone. Accused and the survivor became sexual partners and their last sexual act was in the month of June, 2021 at Agona Swedru.”
Pregnant Daughter
“In 2020 survivor got pregnant but accused took her to one Atta Mensah who was not a medical practitioner at Agona Swedru and aborted the pregnancy for her. Survivor later informed her school counselor about all that she had suffered in the hands of the accused.”
Brutal Assault
“On August 27, 2021 after accused heard that the survivor has informed the school counselor, he attacked and subjected her to severe beatings. Survivor managed to run away to her grandmother. Complainant was informed later and she lodged complaint at Agona Swedru DOVVSU.
“Police medical report form was issued to the complainant to send the survivor to any government hospital for examination and treatment and report, which she did. Later the case was transferred to the Regional DOVVSU in Cape Coast for further investigations. Accused was arrested, cautioned and after investigations charged with the offence before the honourable court.”
Bold Claim
Initially, Kwesi Dawood said the woman (Mavis Ayite), who is ‘pushing’ the girl (victim) to make the allegation, was a TESCON member at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), and that it was an NPP agenda to discredit him.
Later on Adom FM on Monday, the same Kwesi Dawood said that it was his own NDC party elements who were behind the agenda he had accused the NPP of instigating, and said the NDC elements were doing that because the party’s internal election was drawing closer.
Initial Suspension
In the ensuing heat, the NDC Regional Secretary, Kojo Quansah, confirmed on Monday that Kwesi Dawood has been suspended by the opposition party.
“When we look at the position Kwesi Dawood is holding as Regional Communications Officer, and for him to be embroiled in such a case, we obviously, are sad,” he said.
“In party politics, all the executives are one body so anyone of us who is involved in a criminal case automatically will have negative effect on the whole party. It is Kwesi Dawood who is being alleged to have been involved in incest but technically, his conduct is affecting all of us.”
Mr. Quansah said “we haven’t told him to go and have sex with his daughter, but once it is alleged to have happened, we shall use Article 48 of our party’s constitution to take drastic decision against Kwesi Dawood.”
“It has worried all of us, especially the administrator of the region. How can I stand somewhere and say that we do not know anything about what Kwesi Dawood has done?” he queried, adding “we heard it as an allegation, and the victim has spoken, the mother of the girl has spoken and the police who are investigating the case have also spoken, so we cannot do any cover-up.”
“We want to put on record that Kwesi Dawood has been suspended as Regional Communications Director of the NDC. As a major political party, we do not condone such things. Even if our leader is found to have breached the law, we can take action against him.”
Counter Decision
The NDC through its General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said the party has quashed the decision to suspend Dawood.
He issued a statement yesterday saying, “The Functional Executive Committee (FEC) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has taken note of reports in the media that the Central Regional Communication Officer, Mr. Kwesi Dawood has been suspended by the Central Regional Executive Committee of the party over some allegations that are pending before a Court of Competent Jurisdiction.”
“Our attention has also been drawn to media interviews granted by the Central Regional Secretary of the party, Mr. Kojo Quansah in which he confirmed the said decision by the Central Regional Executive Committee.
“The Functional Executive Committee of the party at its meeting held today, 13th October, 2021 took the view that the suspension of Mr. Kwesi Dawood is not only prejudicial to the matter pending in Court, but that same violates the rights of a criminally accused person to a fair trial, the rules of natural justice and Article 46(1)(a)(c)(d) of the NDC Constitution.”
The statement said it was evident from the NDC constitution that “only the Functional Executive Committee at the national level of the party has the power to suspend an office holder of the party at the regional level,” and said “consequently, FEC has quashed the purported suspension of Central Regional Communication Officer, Mr. Kwesi Dawood by the Central Regional Executive Committee of the party, as same is wrongful and without regard for due process.”
“As a law abiding party, we do not and will not condone crime of any form. Neither will we judge an accused person unheard nor presume him guilty until proven innocent. Thus, the Functional Executive Committee will abide by the decision of the Court hearing the matter on the guilt or innocence of the accused person, before we decide on whether or not he should be subjected to disciplinary proceedings of the party.”
Chronology of Events
2003 – The girl’s mother (Mavis Ayite) became pregnant and Dawood said on radio that the woman said he had impregnated her. “We were in the same church. She was in the Girls’ Brigade and I was in the Boys’ Brigade. Somewhere in 2003, we were involved in fornication. It was a one off thing and that was all. I was even suspended from the church. Later they came back that she was pregnant. It was not even up to one month after the fornication. As a responsible man I said I had accepted it.”
2004 – The lady delivered. Dawood said “my family was actively involved in helping her till the time she delivered. We gave her a lot of things.”
2011 – In 2011, the girl would have been about seven or eight years. Dawood said on radio that he started taking the responsibility of looking after her including paying her school fees following passionate appeals from the woman’s father. “In 2010, there was serious flooding in Swedru and after the destruction, I moved to a new place, and Mavis’ father, now deceased, appealed to me to look after the girl who was growing up. He told me Mavis is not looking after the child and that it was the grandmother who was looking after the child.”
2011 -2017 – Dawood said he was looking after the child but she was not staying with him. “From 2011, looking after the child became my full responsibility. I have so many kids I am looking after. Some belong to me, others are adopted. This girl is not my child!”
2017 – In 2017, the girl moved to stay with him. She was about 14 or 15 years. “The girl started staying in my house in Swedru somewhere in 2017/2018. She was here until August this year (2021). She was staying with me as one of the children I have been looking after and she is not my biological daughter,” Dawood said.
2019 – According to the girl, Dawood started having sex with her in 2019 when she was about 15 or 16 years.
2020 – The girl said Dawood impregnated her in 2020 and made her to do an abortion. He allegedly got his friend to administer an injection to terminate the pregnancy, and according to the victim, she bled for more than two weeks.
The girl’s mother said the person who performed the abortion is a doctor, and mentioned his name as Dr. Atta Mensah, but Dawood said it was not true although he admitted he knows the name Atta Mensah as an Assemblyman. “I know an Assemblyman called Atta Mensah. I didn’t send her to anyone to be injected. It is part of their fabrication.”
He then made serious allegations, including describing the teenager as a nymphomaniac.
He said “my neighbours told me the girl has become a deviant. She could invite boys from Accra to all have sex with her at the same time. Everybody in my area is aware of these things. She has been sleeping with many guys. People have been complaining to me about her lifestyle.
August 2021 – The girl claims that Dawood beat her up when he got to know she had informed her mother about the father’s incestuous act.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Cape Coast