An Accra High Court has refused to grant bail to Rabih Haddad, a Lebanese, who has been remanded into police custody for allegedly raping his house-help.
Rabih was remanded into custody two weeks ago after an Accra Central District Court denied him bail because it did not have jurisdiction over the matter.
The court directed the lawyer of the accused to file an application for bail at a superior court.
He has been accused of assaulting and raping his 19-year-old house-help in his Airport Hills residence in Accra.
His lawyer, Ralph Poku Adusei, in his oral application for bail at the lower court, averred that his client was suffering from cardiac cell damage – a heart condition which he said would not allow him to be confined.
According to him, if the court denied the accused person bail, the court risked trying a dead man.
He stated that the accused person, while in police custody, fainted and had to be rushed to the hospital by police officers.
The suspect purportedly collapsed again last week and was rushed to the Ridge Hospital where he was reportedly put on oxygen.
Appearing before an Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Kofi Dorgu, lawyer Adusei told the court that the suspect was still on admission at the Ridge hospital.
According to him, his client was being victimised because he had been labelled as a Lebanese rapist.
He told the court that the prosecution was not certain why the police arrested the accused person.
Mr Adusei said the defence team had raised an alibi and prayed the court to grant bail to his client.
State attorneys, however, filed an affidavit in opposition to the application for bail.
According to a State Attorney, Rebecca Smith, the case was still under investigations and prayed the court to refuse the bail.
The judge Justice Dorgu said he just saw the affidavit in opposition and would like to take a look at it in order to determine it on merit.
He stated that investigations into the alibi and DNA test would benefit the accused person after investigations.
On the lawyer’s argument that his client was still at the hospital, the judge held that it was the best place for him to be at the moment.
Former Attorney General Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, who promised to ensure justice for the victim, was present at the court.
Rabih Haddad was dragged before court for rape contrary to Section 97 of the Criminal Offences Act 29/60.
His plea was not taken.
He was arrested on December 3, 2017 after a complaint had been lodged at the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service and the Airport Police for allegedly raping his house-help.
He is said to have consistently harassed the house-help (name withheld) and insisted on having sex with her, but she reportedly kept rejecting his sexual advances towards her.
He, however, managed to forcibly have sex with her on November 30, 2017 when his wife was not at home; and the victim reportedly confided in her co-worker, but both initially kept the matter to themselves for fear of losing their jobs.
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