Trial Of Dr Gabass Begins Tommorrow

Trial of Dr. Sulley Ali Gabass, the medical practitioner accused of sodomising a 16-year-old Senior High School student will begin tomorrow. The Circuit Court will be moving to an Accra based shelter managed by the Department of Social Welfare to take the evidence of the victim as well as the complainant in camera. Hearing would be conducted in camera because the court needs to protect the identity of the victim. According to the presiding judge, Mrs Rita Agyeman- Budu, the court would be hearing the case on daily basis. The court recounted that at the last sitting it made it known to the prosecution led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aidan Dery that trial was going to begin adding it was not going to tolerate any adjournments. It therefore asked the Registrar of the court to put things in order so the court could be moved to the shelter where the victim is based for his evidence as well as that of the complainant. DSP Dery prayed the court for a week�s adjournment so they could prepare fully for the trial as well as prepare the victim. According to DSP Dery, they needed to conduct some investigations before the trial commenced. Mr Francis Sosu of the Human Rights Advocacy Centre held a watching brief for the victim and the complainant. Nii Kwei Amasah counsel for Dr Gabass said he was happy the court was going to start the trial expeditiously. Dr Gabass, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges of defilement and unnatural carnal knowledge, has been remanded again into prison custody. The case of prosecution was that the accused person resided in Takoradi in the Western Region. In September last year, the victim became Dr Gabass�s friend on Facebook, a social media platform, the prosecution said. The victim and accused person chatted on line and on the cell phone, the prosecution said. In October last year, according to the prosecutor, Dr Gabass arranged and met the victim at Kasoa New Market, where he had anal sex with him in his car in front of a bank, the prosecution said. On December 28, last year, at about 1900 hours, Dr Gabass met the victim at the same spot, had anal sex with him and gave him a Samsung Galaxy mobile phone and GH� 20 cedis, the prosecution said. The Prosecution said the victim fell ill and when he informed Dr Gabass he prescribed paracetamol tablets for him. In February this year, Dr Gabass had anal sex with the victim at the same venue said the prosecutor. In March and April this year, he lured the victim to his house at Alajo in Accra and repeated the act, he said. Prosecution said after the fifth encounter, the victim started experiencing excruciating pains and he complained to the accused person who gave him money to receive medical treatment but the victim did not go to the hospital. However, in August this year, the victim�s condition worsened and he was sent to the Ahmadiyya Mission Hospital where he was referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment. Prosecution said when the accused was informed about the victim�s plight, he sent GH�800 cedis through the victim�s elder brother to cater for the victim�s hospital expenses. On September 21 this year, Anal Fistula and Anal Rectal Abscess surgical operation were performed on the victim, the prosecution said. It was during this time that the victim was diagnosed HIV Positive and he mentioned Dr Gabass as the one responsible for the ailment. While on admission, a witness got wind of the issue and interviewed the victim, conducted background checks on the accused person, who was also interviewed. In secret recordings, Dr Gabass allegedly confessed to having anal sex with the victim. Following media publications on October 22, police initiated investigations into the matter and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit in Sekondi arrested Dr Gabass. During Police interrogation, Dr Gabass admitted knowing the victim as a friend, but denied having anal sex with the victim.