Physician Assistant remanded for allegedly raping student nurse

A 29-year old Physician Assistant at the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital was on Tuesday remanded into Police custody by the Cape Coast Magistrate's Court for allegedly raping a 20-year old student nurse who was doing her clinical at the hospital.

The accused, Edward Afful’s plea was not taken and would re-appear in Court on Tuesday August 28, 2018.

Detective Inspector John Asare Bediako told the Court that the victim together with some colleagues were at the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital on a three- week clinical affiliation programme expected to end on Saturday, August 18, 2018, and was assigned to the Foster Ward where Afful worked.

Prosecution told the Court that Afful had been helping the student nurse with her work and they became friends, leading to him inviting her on a number of occasions to his bungalow to assess her presentations.

Detective Inspector Bediako said on Sunday August 5, 2018 at about 1700hours, Afful invited the victim to his room where she downloaded a movie on her laptop and he expressed interest to watch that movie, which according to him was trending on the internet.

While they were watching the movie together, Afful took advantage, struggled, tore her panties and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her without her consent, despite her plea to him that she was a virgin and his finger nails scratched her body, leaving many marks on her.

He said on Monday August 6, 2018, the student nurse reported the incident to the Elmina Police Station and the case was referred to the DOVVSU office in Cape Coast and Afful was arrested.

In his caution statement, Afful told the Police that the victim consented to the act but became worried having lost her virginity against her church rules and that of her parents.