Ex-Soldier facing incest charge freed

An 81-year-old ex-soldier Stephen Atia, who was accused of sexually assaulting his 17-year-old grand-daughter, was on Friday acquitted and discharged by an Accra Circuit Court.

This followed the submission of a medical report from the Police Hospital to the court, which indicated that Atia was impotent.

In addition, the victim during the trial could not tell the court whether it was his grandfather that had sex with her.

Atia pleaded not guilty to incest.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sarah Acquah told the court that during a period of two years, the Octogenarian, Atia, had sex with the victim on four different occasions despite her protests.

ASP Acquah told the court, presided over by Mrs Georgina Mensah-Datsa, that about two years ago, the victim’s mother died and her father, an umbrella repairer, took her and her two siblings to live with the accused person.

She said during the period, the accused had sex with the girl, ignoring her protests.

When the girl could no longer bear the ordeal, she informed her headteacher who reported the matter to Orphan Aid Africa.

The orphanage lodged a complaint with the Police and had the victim and her siblings withdrawn from the custody of the accused following his arrest.

Source: GNA