Four out of twelve children who were reportedly defiled by a 35-year-old man have been confirmed to have suffered distressing abuse.
The information was revealed today when a medical official from Wa Municipal Hospital testified in the current trial.
Rashid Ahmed, a 35-year-old man facing allegations of defilement and attempted defilement, faced trial in Wa Circuit Court on Tuesday.
The accused was questioned if he had legal representation before the trial began. His statement aroused eyebrows, as a family member stated that, despite their best efforts, they were unable to obtain legal representation for him.
Saeed Abdul-Shakur, a principal state attorney, is in charge of the prosecution.
A medical officer from Wa Municipal Hospital, who had examined the teenage victims, was subsequently brought to the courtroom.
Dr. Alhassan Mohammed Mubarak testified and disclosed disturbing information. He stated that the four minors, ages 11 to 13, had been sexually penetrated several times and had lost their hymens as a result of the alleged abuse.
Dr. Mubarak went on to say that three of the females had stated that their last sexual encounters were in May of this year. Surprisingly, one victim was unable to precisely recall the number of encounters she had.
When questioned, the accused, Ahmed Rashid, denied any involvement in the alleged crimes and maintained his innocence.
However, a critical component was lacking from today’s proceedings. A police detective who was supposed to testify was conspicuously missing.
The trial is slated to resume tomorrow, with physicians expected to testify on the medical checks performed on the other seven girls.
An unfortunate turn of events has revealed that one of the victims has died, heightening the seriousness of the issue.
