An Accra Circuit Court has acquitted and discharged Pastor Blessing Owusu Ansah, who was held for sexually assaulting a 12-year old girl at Gbawe.

Delivering the judgement, the court presided over by Abena Oppong Adjin Doku, also rescinded a bench warrant against Pastor Ansah.

Charged with indecent assault, the court found him not guilty at the end of the trial. It noted that, in law, a court could not convict a person facing lesser charge over a higher charge.

It explained that although the prosecution charged the accused person with indecent assault, it, however, called three witnesses to prove a charge of defilement.

Additionally, the prosecution failed to make amends to the charges when it went ahead to prove a charge of defilement.

The court further noted that there were inconsistencies in the case of the prosecution and disparities over the victim’s name and age.

According to the court, when the prosecution closed its case, Pastor Ansah abandoned the court, when he was to open his defence.

The court, therefore, issued a bench warrant to apprehend Pastor Ansah for failing to turn up in court. The judgement was therefore read in his absence.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Judith B. Asante said the 12-year-old victim lived at Gbawe, and that, on April 26, 2016, at about 1600 hours, the accused person met the victim in the vicinity. He asked her to visit him on the same day at about 1900 hours, which the victim agreed to.

When the victim went to the accused person, he sent her to buy him bread and when she returned, the accused person indecently assaulted the victim.

After the act, the prosecution said pastor Ansah warned the victim not to tell anyone else he will kill her.

The prosecution said at about 2200 hours, on the same day, the victim’s mother, who was searching for her saw the victim emerging from Pastor Ansah’s room. She later narrated her ordeal to the mother.

The victim’s mother then reported the incident to the Police.

A medical form was issued to the complainant to seek medical care for the victim. When Pastor Ansah was arrested he denied the offence in his caution statement.