Herbalist in court for alleged indecent assault

Cape Coast, Nov. 20, GNA - Ekow Junior, a 31-year-old self styled herbalist, who allegedly inserted his fingers into the genitals of a woman under the pretext of performing a ritual, was on Thursday granted 20 million cedis bail by a circuit court at Cape Coast, for indecent assault.

He pleaded not guilty and is to re-appear on Thursday, December 18.

Junior, who was first arraigned before the court in January last year, on a charge of attempted rape, had been in prison custody since his first arraignment.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Augustine Amonoo told the court, presided over by Mr Kwame Essel, that sometime in October last year, the victim, one Madam Efua Somuah, travelled from Accra to her family house at Assasan near Ajumako, where Junior also lived with his girlfriend.

He alleged that Junior took advantage of the fact that his girlfriend travelled out of town when madam Somuah arrived, and invited her into his room.

Chief Inspector Amonoo further alleged that Junior told Madam Somuah that he had had a vision about her, which revealed that her rivals had planned to kill her, and that as a herbalist, he "could do something", to save her, by inserting his figures into her private part.

He said the victim rejected the idea, and attempted to leave the room but Junior pushed her onto his bed, removed his clothes and tried to rape her, but she managed to break free, took a kitchen stool nearby, hit him on the head and shouted for help.

He said people came to rescue her and Junior was arrested.