A letter emanating from the family of the victim in the Enoch Nii Lamptey Mills saga, is requesting an out-of-court settlement of the issue before an Accra Circuit Court. Counsel for the accused persons, Bannerman-Williams Jnr, Monday told the court, presided over by Georgina Mensah Datsa, that the families of the victim had met over the issue, and were seeking an out of court settlement. The proprietor of Great Lamptey Mills Institute, Enoch Nii Lamptey Mills, was charged for impregnating and forcing to marry a 16-year-old former student of his school. Lamptey Mills was charged together with Evelyn Engmann and Georgina Sabbab, both relatives of the victim, for abetment of crime. Even though the accused persons were not formally arraigned before the court, they were granted self-recognisance bail, in view of the letter requesting an out of court settlement of the issue before the court. According to counsel, in arriving at the decision to seek an out of court settlement, the victim’s family had taken notice of the consequences of the matter, as the issue involved a child. Counsel noted that the welfare of the child would better be protected and promoted if the issue was resolved amicably out of the court system. "This is a misdemeanor and in the spirit of the court act, we pray that the matter is resolved among them," counsel pleaded with the court. However, when the court called up the complainant in the case to enquire whether he consented to the out of court settlement sought by the family, he was absent in court. The court therefore adjourned sitting to October 22, 2009 to enable it have consent from the complainant. The accused persons are liable to a fine not exceeding GH¢500 or a term of imprisonment not exceeding a year, when found guilty of the charges brought against them. Nii Lampley Mills was arrested by the police in September for allegedly impregnating and forcibly marrying a 16-year-old former student of his school. Lamprey Mills had additionally failed to keep to his promise of building a house for her, providing for the upkeep of the mother and child as well as restoring the girl to school one year after the girl gave birth. He was further alleged to have admitted to impregnating one of his former students, and forcing to marry the 16-year-old girl and further informing the police that the building he promised the girl was at the roofing stage. Reports also indicated that Lamptey Mills allegedly promised to take the then yet-to-be-born child to South Africa for education, while the mother remains in Ghana to continue with her education to the university level. Source: The Ghanaian Chronicle