Kidnapped girls: Angry mother slaps suspect in court

Thee was drama at the Sekondi High Court 2 in the Western Region Wednesday, when a mother of one of the kidnapped girls slapped the suspect, Samuel Udoterk after he pleaded not guilty to the crime.

Comfort Arhin, mother of Ruthlove Quayson, distressed by the suspect’s refusal to disclose where her daughter and the other girls have been kept, pounced on him when he was being ushered out of court, demanding justice for the crime they believe he has committed.

Joy News’ Correspondent, Ina-Thanlia Quansah, was in court and reports that parents and family members of the other two girls joined Comfort in the attack.
She said it took almost 15 minutes before the police, who nearly arrested the agitating families, to bring some sanity to the court.

When the case was called, six charges of conspiracy to commit crime; to wit kidnapping and kidnapping were levelled against Udoterk and the second suspect, John Orji.

But Udoterk pleaded not guilty to all.

It has been almost a year since the first of the three girls -Priscilla Bentum- went missing. Two others Priscilla Mantebea Koranchie and Ruth Love Quayson are also yet to be found.

Udoterk has admitted conspiring with the second suspect, John Orji to kidnap Ruthlove Quayson and Priscilla Bentum but has refused to tell police about their whereabouts.

The police in their investigations, also came across a Facebook conversation between the two suspects where they had had discussions about drugs that could be administered on the victims.
Udoterk’s not guilty plea in court angered families of the girls who are infuriated by his refusal to divulge their location.

They hurled insults and cursed the two suspects and the police, whom they accuse of not doing enough to rescue their daughters.

The presiding judge, Justice Hannah Taylor adjourned the case to October 16.

She has also ordered the State Attorney to bring all exhibits relating to the case to the court.
In a related development, Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, said police are relentlessly pursuing the case to ensure the girls are reunited with their families.

Mr. Dery told MPs on Tuesday, July 30, he could not tell when the girls will be rescued but assured that vigorous efforts were being made to find them.

He said the Western Region police have been tasked to update the families on the investigations.