Weeks after an Accra circuit court had issued a bench warrant for her immediate arrest, Sarah Kwablah – the female student at the centre of the recent alleged sex scandal involving Asamoah Gyan, Black Stars captain – for the first time yesterday appeared in court.
Her sudden appearance comes days after Dr Maurice Ampaw, her counsel, had assured the court at the previous sitting that he would ensure that his client was produced to stand trial.
Sarah, 21, is reported to have called the bluff of the police when she was invited by the investigator to come to court for the trial.
This compelled the court, presided over by Ms Afia Agbanu Kumador, to issue a bench warrant for her arrest.
Charges
The other accused persons are Osafo Anthony, a journalist, 29, Lester Ekow Micah, musician, 43 and Chris Handler, blogger, 24.
Sarah, Anthony and Chris have been charged for extorting GH¢25,000 from Samuel Anim Addo, Asamoah Gyan’s manager, by means of threat.
Ekow is facing the charge of abetment for aiding the three others to extort the said amount from the complainant.
Anthony and Chris are currently on bail in the sum of GH¢60,000 with three sureties each while Micah was bailed in the sum of GH¢20,000 with one surety.
Alibi
At the hearing yesterday, Dr Maurice Ampaw, representing Sarah, Anthony and Ekow, said Ekow was on the way to court.
He said Sarah had denied the charge of extortion, insisting that the facts as presented by the prosecution were not the truth.
Dr Ampaw said there were many misrepresentations in the facts and that he would set the records straight in the course of the trial.
According to the celebrated lawyer, Sarah was not aware the case was in court, adding that the accused went to her village to bury her father only to learn of the case in the newspapers.
No Arrest
Dr Ampaw said his client was in court on her own volition and had not been arrested, despite the bench warrant.
Applying for bail for Sarah, the lawyer said his client was a level 300 student who had not interfered with police investigations into the case.
The trial judge, as a result, rescinded the bench warrant and admitted Sarah to bail in the sum of GH¢60,000 with three sureties.
Evidence
Led in evidence by ACP Moses Atibilla, Samuel Anim Addo said he got to know the accused persons through Asamoah Gyan.
He said the accused persons had threatened Gyan with evidence of text messages to defame him (Gyan) and subsequently follow it with a publication of a sex video.
Addo said Sarah was the first to threaten and that he reported the case to the Odorkor police.
Gyan’s manager stated that after the report, the case was settled among Sarah, her lawyer and Kissi Adjabeng.
He said during the said meeting, Gyan agreed to take care of Sarah’s pregnancy after a test had been conducted on her.
The witness stated that the parties agreed to have a DNA test done after delivery of the child, stressing that the story of the alleged rape was published on GHbase website by Anthony.
Addo said after the publication, Sarah did not show up at the GNAT Heights Centre in Accra where they had paid for the test to be conducted.
Gyan’s manager contended that GHbase website published more stories about Asamoah Gyan.
He stated that Osafo had said that he would publish the video until one Nii Armah Amartefio had contacted him to stop.
Addo said Osafo, as a result, demanded GH¢30,000 and threatened to publish more stories if the money was not paid.
Asamoah’s manager claimed that the police had asked him to feign interest in the payment of the money, adding that he met Osafo at the agreed venue and paid GH¢10,000 and a cheque of GH¢15,000 and the journalist was arrested.
By Daily Guide
