Kumasi gang-rape suspects to appeal at High Court

The 5 boys who allegedly gang-raped a girl

The lawyers for the five boys who allegedly gang-raped a teenager at Kumasi Bantama are heading to the High Court to appeal over a ruling by the Kumasi Circuit Court One on its application filed at the court.

The lawyers who filed an application at the court requested it to make enquiry into the determination of the ages of the accused persons which was in contention.

The court, according to Mr Ebenezer Osei Opoku, one of the lawyers for the suspects, upon hearing the submission from the prosecution in the case determined by ruling that the ages as stated by the prosecution was right and, therefore has jurisdiction to hear the case.

Mr Opoku, speaking in an interaction with Adehye FM's Elisha Adarkwah indicated that they disagree with the ruling of the court since the application filed by them was not meant for the court to determine its jurisdiction over the case but was to inquire into the determination of the ages of the suspects.

Mr Opoku said the ruling of the court did not correspond to the particular kind of application they filed at the court and for that reason, they are heading to the high court to appeal over the circuit court's ruling to pray it to make inquiry into the determination of the ages of the suspects.

Meanwhile, the suspects were on Wednesday, 14 February 2018, remanded to reappear on Friday, 16 February after the prosecution presented its first witness and having led evidence in chief by the state attorneys.

The witness having concluded his evidence in chief was cross-examined by the counsel for the first, second and fifth suspects.

The case was adjourned after the counsel for suspects prayed the court to adjourn the case for the cross-examination to be continued on the next sitting.

The court, presided over by Comfort Tasiame, however, adjourned the case to Friday, 16 February 2018.