<<Print>>

Relatives of the medical doctor suspected to have sodomised a 16-year-old senior high school student allegedly assaulted a photojournalist of TV3 network when he attempted to take a footage of the suspect who appeared before the Cocoa Affairs Court in Accra yesterday. Mr Peter Adattor was taking a video footage of handcuffed Sulley Ali-Gabass, a gynaecologist at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital in Sekondi, when the suspect emerged from the courtroom together with police escort and few relatives. Mr Adattor, who stood outside the courtroom, together with other journalists, started capturing the well-composed doctor wearing a short-sleeved shirt over a pair of brown trousers. However, some angry family members surrounded the doctor to prevent the cameramen from filming the accused person. Unable to get the best shots, Mr Adattor attempted to overtake the relatives shielding the doctor, but he was allegedly kicked from behind, causing him to tumble. Injured and hooted Due to the impact of his fall, Mr Adattor sustained minor injuries on his arms, while his pair of trousers got torn at the knee. Determined and strong-willed, the TV3 reporter, who was hooted at by the Ali-Gabass relatives, got back on his feet and started to pursue the accused person who was being taken to the police cells on the court�s premises. More of the male relatives surged forward and made attempts to destroy his camera but he resisted them. Female family members also joined in the fray and some were seen using their clothes and head gears to block Mr Adattor from taking footages of the medical doctor, who took quick steps to avoid being captured. Prior to the violent incident, some male family members of the accused person were spotted occasionally getting close to media practitioners and warning them to stay off Ali-Gabass. Ali-Gabass remanded Earlier, the court had remanded the medical doctor in prison custody after the trial was held in camera at the judge�s chambers. Ali-Gabass is standing trial for having canal knowledge of his victim five times at Kasoa in the Central Region and Alajo in Accra between October 2013 and April 2014. He has been charged with two counts of defilement and unnatural canal knowledge but at the hearing yesterday he pleaded not guilty to both charges. He is to reappear on November 25, 2014. Background According to the facts of the case, the victim is a student and resides at Kasoa, while Ali-Gabass is a medical practitioner at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital. It said in September 2013, the victim encountered the accused person on Facebook and they became friends. �They chatted online and communicated by phone for a while until in October, 2013 when the accused arranged and met the victim at Kasoa New Market area, where he forcibly had anal sex with him in his car,� the prosecution said.