Ashaiman Teacher Defiles Pupil

Anthony Opoku

ANTHONY OPOKU alias Poncho, a teacher at Ages International School at New Town, an Ashaiman suburb has been remanded into police custody for allegedly defiling an 11-year old pupil of the same school where he teaches.

Perhaps driven by his lust for her, 26-year-old teacher Opoku was said to have invited the victim (name withheld) to his house at Zongo Laka, an Ashaiman suburb, under the pretext of giving her some question papers for her to study, and allegedly defiled her in his bedroom.

Teacher Opoku was remanded into police custody yesterday by the Tema Circuit Court 'B' presided over Bart Plange-Brew after he pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement contrary to section 101 (2) of Act 29/60 as amended by Section 11 of Act 554/980. He is expected to make another appearance before the court on a later date.

Chief Inspector Evelyn Susuawu of prosecution mentioned the complainant as Vida Tay, a trader and mother of the victim. Prosecution also mentioned the accused person as teacher Opoku.

Narrating the incident to the court, Chief Inspector Susuawu noted that during the month of December 2012, teacher Opoku proposed love to the victim, who completely turned him down with an explanation that she was too young to enter into a relationship with the accused person.

According to the prosecutor, during that same month, the teacher, perhaps realizing he could after all use another tactic to get into bed with her invited her to his house under the pretext of handing her some question papers for her to study as the school was preparing to write its end of term examination.

He was said to have immediately locked his door upon the victim's arrival in his room and forcefully pushed her into his bed and defiled her. He allegedly invited her again to his house, where he defiled her for the second time in the same month.

Prosecution continued that on April 12, 2013, a friend of the victim who knew about the two shameful acts informed the complainant, Vida Tay, who quickly reported the accused person to the police in Ashaiman.

Teacher Opoku was later arrested and handed over to the Ashaiman branch of DOVVSU for further investigation into the alleged defilement.

A police medical form was given to the complainant to send her daughter to a medical facility for treatment.

Chief Inspector Susuawu explained to the court that teacher Opoku was charged with the offence after investigation and subsequently arraigned before the court.

From Razak Mardorgyz Abubakar, Tema