A former accounts clerk (bursar) of a school in Accra, Charles Twumasi, who was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old pupil and impregnating her but was acquitted and discharged by the Court of Appeal has shared the harrowing experience he faced while spending seven years in prison despite being innocent.

"The police came to the school where I work. They ransacked my office. I don't close my office. They came for me and said I needed to be interrogated. I went with them. I was just made to sit there and I never returned home. I was initially sentenced to 10 years.

"I made an appeal, and 5 more years were added," Twumasi recounted how his ordeal began.

He is now in his 40s.

Mr. Twumasi was accused of defiling the girl in September 2012 when she went to pay her feeding fee at the school’s accounts office. He had been on remand and in prison for seven years until his discharge and acquittal on February 13 this year.

The Court of Appeal unanimously held that there was no evidence linking him to the alleged defilement and that some evidence was distorted to aid his conviction. The court found that the medical evidence indicated the victim was defiled in June 2012, allegedly by a teacher known as Nash, and not in September 2012 as alleged against Mr. Twumasi.

Twumasi's lawyer argued for his acquittal, pointing out inconsistencies in the testimonies of the victim, her mother, and the headmistress regarding when Twumasi was mentioned as a suspect. The court also noted that there was no direct evidence, such as medical evidence, to prove that the victim was defiled in September 2012.

The case was initiated in November 2012, with criminal proceedings against both Nash and Twumasi. Nash absconded and never appeared before the court. Twumasi pleaded not guilty and denied defiling the girl.

Twumasi appealed against his conviction in 2014, but the High Court dismissed his appeal in 2017 and increased his sentence from 10 to 15 years. He then appealed to the Court of Appeal in 2017, arguing that the trial court judge erred in convicting and sentencing him, and that the sentence was excessive and harsh.

The Court of Appeal's decision to acquit and discharge Mr. Twumasi highlights the importance of thorough investigation and consistent evidence in criminal cases.

In September 2012, Charles Twumasi, an accounts clerk (bursar) at a school in Accra, was accused of defiling a 12-year-old pupil who had gone to pay her feeding fee at the school’s accounts office. The girl later became pregnant, leading to Twumasi's arrest and subsequent conviction to 15 years’ imprisonment.

However, the Court of Appeal has recently acquitted and discharged Twumasi, citing lack of evidence linking him to the alleged defilement. The court noted that the medical evidence indicated the victim was defiled in June 2012, allegedly by a teacher known as Nash, not in September 2012 as claimed against Twumasi.

The court also highlighted inconsistencies in the testimonies of the victim, her mother, and the headmistress regarding when Twumasi was mentioned as a suspect. The mother initially stated that only Nash had defiled her daughter, but later claimed the victim also mentioned Twumasi. The headmistress's testimony about the sequence of events further contributed to the inconsistencies.

Twumasi's lawyer argued for his acquittal, emphasizing these inconsistencies and the lack of direct evidence linking Twumasi to the defilement in September 2012. The Court of Appeal ultimately ruled in Twumasi's favor, overturning his conviction and ordering his release.

Now, Mr Twumasi believes he was set up. He noted that during trials, he was optimistic about being released since he was never cuffed.

While in prison, he noted that he almost gave up, but his 2-month-old child gave him hope. His wife abandoned him since she did not believe him. According to him, it was not an easy period in life as family almost abandoned him.

Below is the video where Twumasi shares his experience in prison.