After weeks of recess so the victim could continue treatment, the trial of Dr Sulley Ali Gabass, the senior medical officer at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital in Sekondi, Ghana, resumed on Tuesday (January 6).
Dr Gabass is charged with defiling and unnatural carnal knowledge of a child under 16 years, offences he has denied.
The now-16-year-old Senior High School student, who is alleged to have been sodomized by Dr. Gabass, will continue his cross-examination by defence council on Wednesday (January 7).
The case was heard in camera; the third time the victim appeared at the Accra Gender-Based, Violence Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs Rita Agyeman Budu. At Tuesday’s sitting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aidan Dery, told the court that in September 2013, the victim became Dr Gabass’s friend on Facebook, and they chatted online and on the phone.
The prosecution said that in October, Dr Gabass arranged to meet the victim at Kasoa New Market, where he had anal sex with him in his car in front of Kasoa HFC Bank.
Then on December 28, 2013 at about 1900 hours, Dr Gabass met the victim at the same spot, where he again had anal sex with him and gave him a Samsung Galaxy mobile phone and 20 Ghana Cedis.
The Prosecution said the victim subsequently fell ill and when he informed Dr Gabass, he prescribed Paracetamol tablets.
DSP Dery said Dr Gabass met the victim three more times for anal sex and, after the fifth encounter, the victim started experiencing excruciating pain and complained to the accused, who gave him money to get medical treatment, which the victim failed to do. The prosecution said when the victim’s condition worsened, he was sent to the Ahmadiyya Mission Hospital where he was referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment.
According to the prosecution, when the accused was informed about the victim’s plight, he sent 800 Ghana Cedis through the victim’s elder brother to cater for his hospital expenses.
DSP Dery said anal fistula and anal rectal abscess surgical operations were performed on the victim, and that it was during this time that he was diagnosed HIV positive. It was then that the victim mentioned Dr Gabass as responsible.
The prosecution said, while on admission, a witness got wind of the matter, interviewed the victim and subsequently conducted background checks on Dr. Gabass, who was also interviewed. In secret recordings, Dr Gabass allegedly confessed to having anal sex with the victim. Following media interest, police initiated investigations into the matter and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit in Sekondi arrested Dr Gabass.
During police interrogation, Dr Gabass admitted knowing the victim as a friend but denied having anal sex with him. The case continues.
