Sodomy doctor’s trial adjourned to January 6

The trial of Dr. Sulley Ali Gabass, the senior medical officer at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi, was adjourned for the second time yesterday at the instance of the victim.

The court had on Friday adjourned the case to yesterday, December 1, because the prosecution had told the court that the victim was receiving medical attention at the Korle-Bu Hospital.

The victim was expected in court to be cross-examined by counsel for the accused person.

However, when the case came up for hearing, the prosecutor, DSP Aidan Dery, submitted a medical form from the hospital signed by one Dr. Mensa Amoah, requesting that the victim be excused for a week to undergo further treatment.

The presiding judge, Mrs. Rita Agyemang Budu, said the court had no other option than to go by the request of the medical doctor; and consequently adjourned the case to January 6, 2015, by which time the victim might have been well enough to testify in the trial.

Minutes after the judge had fixed the date for the next sitting, counsel for Dr. Gabass repeated his earlier application for bail.

He said the victim could not tell when he could appear before the court for the hearing to continue; neither could the prosecution do same.

According to Dr. Gabass’ lawyer, they did not know when the victim would come to court.

He said the accused person had pleaded not guilty to the charges and remained innocent until proven otherwise adding, “There is a genuine reason for which the court can grant bail to the accused person.”

The defence counsel stated that the accused person, when granted bail, would not do anything to interfere with the trial; and also he has people to stand sureties for him, assuring that his client would abide by the conditions of his bail.

DSP Dery opposed the application for bail by the defence counsel.

He reminded the court of the fact that the offence for which the accused had been hurled before the court is not bailable.

The police officer said the trial had not been unduly delayed and that the victim was not in court because he was at the hospital receiving medical attention.

DSP Dery said it was only fair for the court to reject the bail application, knowing the condition of the victim.

Meanwhile, the judge in a ruling, upheld the request of the prosecution and declined the bail application.

She said the charges preferred against Dr. Gabass are both not bailable, indicating that “it is not expedient to do so now.”

She accordingly ordered that the accused be sent to the Nsawam Prisons where he had been on remand.

Dr. Ali Gabass has been in custody over a two-count charge of defiling a child under 16 years and unnatural carnal knowledge, an offence he has rebutted.

He is alleged to have in the months of October 2013 and April 2014 at Kasoa and Alajo in the Central and the Greater Accra Regions respectively, had unnatural carnal knowledge of the victim, aged 15.

Prosecution said during the month of September 2013, the victim met the suspect on Facebook and became friends, chatted online and communicated on phone for a while.

According to the police, during the month of October 2013, Dr. Gabass arranged and met the victim at the Kasoa New Market area where he forcibly had anal sex with the victim in his vehicle in front of the Kasoa HFC Bank.

During police interrogation, Dr. Gabass admitted knowing the victim as a friend, but denied having anal sex with him.