Two teachers of Aduman Senior High School in the Ashanti Region have been remanded into police custody by the Nsuta Circuit Court over allegations of sexually abusing male students.

Kwabena Kwakye Palance, 37, and Isaac Yankey, 39, were remanded on Thursday, 12 November, by His Lordship Simon Nketiah Gagah.

They have also been interdicted by the Ghana Education Service (GES) pending the outcome of investigations.

Facts 

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Owusu Kobi Moses, told the court the complainant is David Akomeah, the District Director of Education for Afigya-Kwabre South, based at Kodie.

According to the prosecution, the report was made to the Kodie Police on 9 November, after information from the school’s management through its headmaster, Victor Asare.

The prosecution said the alleged victims are two 17-year-old Form 3 students, and alleged that the teachers engaged them in acts of unnatural carnal knowledge.

It was the case of the prosecution that Palance allegedly lured one of the students to the school’s ICT laboratory under the pretext of assigning him cleaning duties, where he allegedly abused him.

The prosecution further alleged that Palance later repeatedly invited the student to his residence.

In respect of Yankey, the prosecution alleged that he invited the same student to his office and later to his bungalow, where he allegedly threatened to report the student to school authorities unless he submitted to similar acts.

The prosecution also alleged that Palance invited the second student to his bungalow, where he allegedly abused him and promised to provide him with essential needs at school in exchange for compliance.

The prosecution told the court that on 11 November, the case docket was called by the Regional Commander and referred to the Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for further investigations.

It further told the court that both accused persons had allegedly admitted the offences in their caution statements, but added that the alleged victims were yet to submit their medical forms as part of ongoing investigations.

Bail opposed

Counsel for the accused persons, Esq. Stephen Kwaku Boaheng, opposed the remand application and urged the court to grant his clients bail, arguing that the charges remained allegations.

Chief Inspector Owusu Kobi Moses opposed bail, maintaining that investigations were still ongoing and that the alleged victims were yet to undergo medical examinations.

After considering submissions from both parties, the court ordered the accused persons to be remanded into police custody.

The judge, however, directed that the remand should not exceed ten working days, citing concerns that an extended remand could have serious implications for the accused persons’ employment as government employees, including possible dismissal.

The case has been adjourned to 23 November, for the pleas of the accused persons to be taken.

GES interdiction 

Meanwhile, the accused persons have also been interdicted by the Ghana Education Service (GES) pending the outcome of investigations.
In a statement issued on 12 November, the GES said management received reports of alleged sexual misconduct involving the two staff members against a male student.

“The matter has since been referred to the Police for investigation. The two staff members have since been arrested by the Police in connection with the alleged incident,” the statement signed by Head of Public Relations, Daniel Fenyi, said.

“In addition, Management has interdicted the two teachers pending the outcome of the investigations.”