Court grants 20m cedis to athletics coach

Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) - The Sunyani District Court on Thursday granted 20m cedis bail with two sureties to George Daniels, Brong Ahafo Regional Athletics coach for allegedly defiling and impregnating a 15-year-old student.

Daniels, 54, one time Ghanaian international sprinter, was arraigned before the court on November 20, this year for defilement and was remanded in prison custody. The court presided over by Charles Adjei Wilson, ordered him to pay 150 thousand cedis towards the upkeep of the girl and was to reappear on 20 December this year.

The facts of the case as presented by Police Inspector Setina Aboagye, prosecutor, was that the accused is an uncle of the victim who lived with him in Sunyani. She said the girl's mother brought her from Cape Coast to Sunyani last year to stay with the uncle to continue with her education.

In February this year, while she was fast asleep the accused inserted his fingers into her private part. The prosecutor said the accused subjected the victim to the ordeal for sometime and later had sexual intercourse with her.

The victim who could no longer bear the accused behaviour reported the matter to a woman but that could not deter the accused. The victim was later taken ill for months and taken to the Sunyani Police hospital where it was detected that she had been sexually assaulted.

A report was subsequently made to the Police. Medical report later revealed that the girl was three months pregnant and the accused was arrested.