"Mallam" charged with defilement

Accra, March 10, GNA - A 41 year-old native doctor (Mallam) was on Wednesday put before an Accra Circuit Court charged with defiling a two-year-old girl.

Osman Bashiru pleaded not guilty to the charge, but the court chaired by Mr Kwadwo Owusu remanded him in custody to reappear on March 15. The facts as read by Chief Inspector Emmanuel Boison were that the victim lived with her parents at Nima, a suburb in Accra. Bashiru also stayed in the same house with the complainant.

The Prosecution said the victim's parents and the accused person were friends. Based on that, the accused used to buy toffee for the victim and sometimes sent her to his room or the victim went to the accused person's room herself.

The Prosecutor said the practice continued until the victim suddenly fell sick. The accused person was warned never to entertain the victim in his room again but he ignored it.

On February 24 Bashiru asked a Witness in the case, who was with the victim, to buy him cigarettes and toffee.

The Prosecution said after the Witness had returned with the items, Bashiru gave them to the victim and lured her into his room. Subsequently, the accused brought the victim out but the Witness detected that the victim looked worried.

Chief Inspector Boison said the Witness sent her to the bathhouse, removed her panties and saw that it was wet.

The Witness reported the matter to the victim's father. Upon interrogation, the victim said the accused person defiled her.