Tarkwa: Driver charged with defilement granted bail

A driver who appeared before the Tarkwa Circuit Court for allegedly defiling a 13- year-old junior high school pupil multiple times has been granted bail in the sum of GHC100,000 with four sureties.

Anthony Cobbina, alias Kabi, 41, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement and the case was adjourned to Friday 28 April.

Police prosecutor, Juliana Essel-Dadzie, told the court, presided over by Hathie Ama Manu, that the complainant is the mother of the victim and both live at Brenuakyim in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality where she operates a drinking bar.

Cobbina, who also resides in the same neighborhood, is a friend and regular customer of the complainant.

Essel-Dadzie said in March 2022, the accused started making sexual advances at the victim who usually assists her mother in the bar after school.

In the same month, the complainant traveled to Wassa Nkran in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality and left the victim in the care of her aunt.

While the mother was away, the accused took advantage and fondled the victim’s breast and buttocks at the bar.

The victim, who was unhappy about Cobbinah’s behaviour threatened to inform her mother when she returned but the accused warned her to remain silent else he will kill her.

The prosecutor said on another occasion, Cobbina demanded to have sex with the victim in the bar and promise to buy her a mobile phone and laptop but she resisted.

He became offended, pulled a small knife to stab the victim and assaulted her sexually, the prosecutor said.

On 26 December 2022, the complainant was celebrating her birthday and decided to dine with her family at Classlink Hotel in Tarkwa. She invited the accused person to join them.

The prosecutor said, while swimming in a pool, Cobbina allegedly inserted his fingers into the victim’s vagina and also forcibly had sexual intercourse with her in the hotel.

In January 2023, the accused person again went to the complainant’s drinking bar, lured the victim behind a fridge and defiled her.

The prosecutor said the complainant recently detected changes in the victim’s mood and when she confronted her, she said Cobbina had been having sex with her.

The complainant reported the incident to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit in Tarkwa and a medical form was issued to her to send the victim  to the hospital.

The victim was examined and the form was endorsed by a medical officer at the Apinto Government Hospital.

Cobbina was, therefore, picked up by the police and he admitted the offence in his caution statement.

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