Deeba, a Ghanaian musician remanded for defilement and assault

Accra Jan. 18, GNA- A Ghanaian musician, Akyeampong Deeba aka Richard Nimoh was on Friday remanded into Police custody by an Accra Circuit Court charged with five counts of defilement and assault.

Deeba also known as Deeba Kofi Akyeampong, Richard Nimoh Deeba and Deeba Kofi had his plea reserved by the court presided over by Mr Ebenezer Osei-Darko.

Deeba who was taken to court to be remanded pending his extradition to the United Kingdom has been accused of defiling an eight-year-old minor and assaulting a six-year-old minor all in the United Kingdom.

Mr Kofi Kwakye, counsel for Deeba, prayed for bail because the Police contended that they were now going through the documentation process in order to extradite Deeba to the United Kingdom to face trial.

The court however turned down the bail application and remanded him to reappear on February 7.

The facts presented by the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police Cletus K. Abadamalora, were that Deeba resides at Weija in Accra.

Prosecution said in December last year, INTERPOL Accra received a request per an arrest warrant from INTERPOL London to the effect that between 2004 and 2008 while living in the UK, Akyeampong Deeba had a relationship with a Ghanaian woman who had two daughters aged eight and six.

Prosecution said Deeba and his Ghanaian wife subsequently had another two children. The couple however lived separately for the first few months but Deeba visited his wife's home to take care of the children while she (his wife) was for night shifts in the UK.

According to prosecution, this continued till September 2008 when accused retuned to Ghana to pursue his musical career.

Two weeks after Deeba's departure, the eight-year-old minor told her mother that while she was out of the house, Deeba allegedly on several occasions invited her into his bedroom, made her watch pornographic movies, kissed her, applied baby oil on his manhood and had sex with her.

According to prosecution the victim stated further that Deeba also had anal sex with her.

Furthermore, prosecution said the victim said Deeba after each sexual act, put sanitary towel in her panty to avoid the evidence of blood stain and he also hid the bed sheet after the act.

Prosecution said Deeba threatened to beat her if she disclosed the act to anyone.

According to prosecution between June 1 and 4, 2008, Deeba assaulted the younger sister when the six-year-old girl tried to satisfy her inquisitiveness about what was happening to her eight-year-old sister. This led to a cut on the six-year-old girl's head.

Prosecution said a medical examination carried on the eight-year-old minor revealed that he had suffered from extensive damage of her hymen as a result of vaginal penetration.

Deeba when confronted by the victim's mother denied the allegations.

Prosecution said the victim's mother however reported the matter to the Police in UK and a warrant was issued by a Northampton Shire Magistrate for his arrest.

Based on that, prosecution said on January 15, this year, Deeba was arrested at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel and in his caution statement denied the offence.

GNA