Bantama gang-rape boys convicted

The three were a part of a gang that allegedly rape a teenage girl in Kumasi[/caption] A Kumasi circuit court has convicted the five persons involved in gang-raping a teenager at Bantama, a suburb of Kumasi. One of the suspects, Ernest Asare, who the court established was not a juvenile has been handed a 7-year jail term with hard labour. The remaining four, all minors, have been referred to a juvenile court for sentencing. Counsel for the rapists, Yahaya Seidu, says the four are currently in juvenile cells awaiting sentencing. The five accused persons were convicted for defilement, conspiracy to commit crime and abetment. “Our clients were found guilty on all the charges proffered against them. One of our clients has been established by the court to be 20 years but the remaining four are juveniles. Because per the law, a court of summary jurisdiction cannot convict a juvenile, the four have been referred to a juvenile court for sentencing,” said Mr. Seidu. The lawyer will be meeting with the court registrar to find out the juvenile court his clients have been referred to for sentencing. “We are waiting for a copy of the ruling from the court before we know whether to appeal or not”, he indicated. The five accused persons were arrested in December 2017 after a video of their gang-raping of a teenager went viral. Seven persons were spotted in the video but only five of them were arrested and processed before the court. Two of them are still at large. By Ibrahim Abubakar |3news.com |Ghana]]>