My brand as an iconic entertainment personality is intact - KKD

Ace broadcaster Kwesi Kyei Darkwa says his brand as an iconic figure in the entertainment industry is intact after his alleged rape case.

KKD was discharged nearly two weeks ago by an Accra High Court after state prosecutors dropped charges of rape against him.

He was joined by family and friends Sunday to thank God for the turn of events and spoke to JOYNEWS after the service.

“People hoped that I will die; some people hoped that I will fail, 30 years ago. Do I have to go their homes to change their minds”? he asked.

KKD said even Jesus Christ was accused severally.
“I am thankful that Ewuraffe (the 19-year-old lady he was alleged to have raped) is alive and well, I am alive and well; my blood pressure is coming down, I nearly died two days to the last day in court and my focus [now] is to be well and happy and thankful,” KKD said.

The Airport Police arrested KKD on December 27, 2014 after a 19-year-old lady, Miss Ewuraffe Orleans Thompson, accused him of raping her in a hotel washroom.

Mr. Darkwah admitted having sex with the lady but denied he forced her . But she consented, he insisted.

He was brought before the Kaneshie District Magistrates' Court after he had been detained for three days in police cells. The court refused him bail and remanded him into police cells .

It transpired later that that was a wrong court, which lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter. But the harm had been done and Mr. Darkwah remained in police custody.

His initial brave face gave way to a more somber mood and subsequently frustration when the case started suffering adjournments and his bail applications repeatedly rejected; the fashionable entertainment icon became dejected.

Things took a dramatic turn weeks later when the lady at the centre of the rape charge against KKD said she was no longer interested in the case .

She wrote a letter to state prosecutors, saying they could no longer count on her testimony to prosecute the celebrated entertainment icon; it was her desire to see the charges dropped.

The two-page letter, dated 12 of January was addressed to the Director of Public Prosecutions at the Attorney-General’s Department, and copied to the Chief Justice, the Registrar of the High Court and the top hierarchy of the Ghana Police service.

The 19-year-old cited the “media frenzy” that followed the arrest of KKD and the unceasing buzz and social media posts which she described as insensitive, for her decision.

She said she was unable to continue cooperating with the police on the case.

Later that day, KKD issued a statement expressing regret for his actions and saying, "I acknowledge I have sinned and have prayed to my God for forgiveness for all that trauma that I have caused this young woman."

The Human Rights Court in Accra on January 15, 2015, granted the ace broadcaster bail on humanitarian grounds .

State prosecutors, in spite of the alleged victim's letter, maintained they had sufficient evidence to sustain the prosecution of the case.

A jury was empaneled to hear the case but in a characteristically dramatic fashion, there was no hearing as the state declared it was no longer interested in prosecuting the case.

The entrainment personality, who was in court Wednesday, April 22, in the company of his father, was somber after the court discharged him.