Mother of the 16-year-old girl who was allegedly impregnated by Enoch Nii Lamptey Mills, yesterday caused a stir at an Accra circuit Court when she rained curses on journalists present to cover proceedings of the case.
The woman, Georgina Sarbah, who could not understand why the press was in court to cover what she believed to be a family issue, openly subjected the journalists to verbal insults, death threats and curses. Right in the courtroom, the mother, also an accused person, started insulting the media, using words such as “kwashiae” to wit fools, and even pushed off a female journalist who was taking some notes.
Even though Nii Lamptey Mills tried to calm her down, she ignored the the advise and followed the journalists who tried to avoid her out of the courtroom, with threats including “you will die one after the other should you report on this matter. Are we the reasons why you were sent to the journalism school?” She again threatened to slap one of the journalists in the process, had the person drawn closer to her.
When the case was called, Bannerman Wilson Jnr, counsel for the three accused persons including Evelyn Engman, the grandmother of the victim, reminded the court of a letter from the head of the family of the victim’s parents requesting that the matter be settled out of court. According to him, the family had met over the issue and opted for that decision, taking into consideration the ramification of the matter.
Counsel, who noted that the issue was a misdemeanor and therefore could be settled out of court, indicated that “respectively my lord, the view of the family is that there is a child in this matter and the welfare of that child would be better protected and promoted if the matter is settled amicably. Justice Georgina Mensah Datsa, the presiding judge, wanted to know whether the complainant in the case had consented to the decision and after being informed by the prosecutor that the complainant was not in court despite a prior notice, she stood the case down.
After about 20 minutes, when the complainant was still not in court, she adjourned the case to October 22, 2009, noting that she could not give a ruling when the complainant was absent because the head of family was not there when the offence was committed. The accused persons, whose pleas were taken at the last adjourned date on charges of compulsion of marriage and abetment of crime, Daily Guide gathered, were granted a self recognizance bail by the court.
Mr. Lamptey Mills has been accused of forcefully marrying the minor while the victim’s mother and grandmother have also been held liable for consenting to the marriage.
They were dragged to court by Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) for contravening section 14 of the Children’s Act 560, 1998 which indicates that the minimum age of marriage of whatever kind should be 18 and that a person who contravenes the law would be liable to a fine not exceeding ˘GH500.00 or a term of imprisonment not exceeding a year.
It would be recalled that on September 8, 2009, the proprietor was picked up by the police and kept in custody, after a report was made by the parents of the victim that he impregnated their daughter but had failed to take care of the victim after she gave birth. A source had hinted that the family of the victim had sent a delegation to the proprietor, who asked that the pregnancy be aborted because of his reputation, but they objected.
After two months, the source said the proprietor met the victim’s family and performed the marriage rites, during which he promised the victim a house, upkeep of the child and sponsorship to continue her education. The proprietor failed to honour his promises after the delivery of the child and this subsequently led to his arrest.
