General News of Wednesday, 23 September 2009

Source: GNA

American Paedophile appears in court for the third time

Tema, Sept 23, GNA - The 65-year-old retired American teacher who has been accused of having unnatural canal knowledge of seven minors at Adjomankope near Sege, in the Dangme East District, on Wednesday, made his third appearance in court.

The presiding judge of the Tema Circuit Court 'A', Mrs Lorinda Owusu, took evidence of three of the victims in chambers.

Chief Inspector Adolphus Otchere, who held brief for the substantive prosecutor, Chief Inspector Matilda Tetteh, told the Ghana News Agency that Patrick Kent Labash, the accused person cross-examined the victims as he had no counsel. The case was adjourned to September 24 for more evidence to be taken. The facts presented to the court by the prosecution on his first appearance, stated that on August 25, the Regional Director of the Department of Women and Children's Affairs, Accra Secretariat, held a sensitization programme on the Domestic Violence Act 732, at Adjomankope, where the accused person resides.

During the programme, information reached the complainant that Labash had been

luring children, both boys and girls, aged between three and 12 years with food, candies and

movies, into his room. The information indicated that in his room, Labash made the victims suck his

erected genitals, discharged semen into their mouths and forced them to swallow it while

recording it on video. Labash was arrested in house number ADJ 118 at Adjomankope on August 29, after

the complainant reported the matter to the Tema Police Regional Command. Upon a search at his residence, a computer, his cell phone, pen drive, digital camera

and other recording gadgets containing pornographic materials of him and the victims, were

retrieved.