The court ordered that Deeba, who looked calm in the dock, should be kept in prison custody for his impending extradition. Information gathered by DAILY GUIDE indicated that officials from the UK would be in the country in two weeks’ time to fly him there to face trial.
In his ruling, Mr. Tandoh disclosed that the prosecution, led by Principal State Attorney Yvonne Attakurah Obuobisa, was able to prove that Deeba was the fugitive being sought for and also showed that there was an extradition treaty between Ghana and the UK.
The magistrate said the charge of rape of a girl under 13 years and defilement existed in Ghana and UK laws and known to be extraditable as stated in the treaty signed between the two countries.
In addition, the court observed that the charges against Deeba were not politically-motivated since there was no evidence to prove that.
Between June 1 and 4, 2008, Deeba reportedly assaulted the victim’s six-year-old sister when she tried to satisfy her inquisitiveness about what was happening to her elder sister, whom he reportedly raped. This allegedly resulted in a cut on child’s head.
However, the court discharged him on the assault charge, noting that the charge could not meet the test for extradition.
According to the magistrate, per the law, the fugitive had 15 days within which he could challenge the decision.
In challenging the decision, the fugitive’s lawyer had the option of filing a habeas corpus application at the High Court within 15 days for Deeba to be produced before the court.
The lawyer would then have to show the reason why the suspect should not be extradited.
However, Augustine Obuor, his lawyer, said he would need to study the ruling first to know the next line of action to take.
He therefore prayed the court to furnish him with a copy of the ruling within the shortest time.
He also requested that he should be given a copy of an undertaking from the Ministry of the Interior that Deeba was going to be tried only on the charges of rape.
The magistrate stated that based on the ruling, the UK authorities could not charge Deeba with assault and that if they did so they would be in contravention of the law.
Deeba, the alleged fugitive, has been accused of defiling an eight-year-old girl in the UK.
He was arrested after an undercover police investigation on January 15, 2013, at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel. His arrest was as a result of a warrant issued by Northamptonshire Magistrate in the UK. The offences were allegedly committed between 2005 and 2008.
A medical examination conducted on the victim by a forensic physician, according to the prosecutor, revealed extensive damage to her hymen as a result of vaginal penetration.
If the hip-life musician was found guilty, he could be sentenced to life imprisonment in the UK.
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