Police Hospital, Crime Lab give conflicting results in Lebanese rape case

There are conflicting police reports concerning the presence of spermatozoa in the vagina of the 19-year-old house help who was allegedly raped by her Lebanese boss.

While a December 3, 2017 test result from the Police Hospital Laboratory, a copy of which is available to the Daily Graphic, indicated that sperms were found in a vagina swab taken from the victim, a January 4, 2018 DNA result from the Police Crime Laboratory stated the absence of spermatozoa.

The DNA testing was requested based on the Police Hospital report that sperms were present in the victim’s body.

Consequently, further swabs were taken for forensic DNA testing to be sure the sperms found in the girl belonged to the Lebanese, Rabih Haddad, 39.

Leakage

The forensic test result has been leaked to the media, although the regular practice is for it to be tendered in evidence during the trial.

A private media report indicated: “In what appears to be a new twist to (the case involving) the 39-year-old Lebanese, who is alleged to have assaulted and raped his 19-year-old house help in his Airport Hills residence in Accra, a Forensic Science Laboratory report, dated January 4, 2018, makes a startling revelation that could have an impact on the outcome of the case.

“According to the report, titled: The Republic vrs Rabih Haddad, Lab No. DNA 66/17, the vaginal swab cuts reacted negatively to the test of human semen and that based on the DNA analysis, the suspect Rabih Haddad can be excluded as a contributor to the DNA profile obtained from the exhibit.”

The DNA report, as part of its conclusion, stated that the victim (name withheld) was the sole contributor/source of the DNA profile generated from the exhibit.

In effect, the report is saying that the DNA sample obtained from the victim had no other contributor apart from the victim’s sole DNA.

Strange outcome

Reacting to media reports, a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, who is holding brief for the victim, told the Daily Graphic that she was surprised that the report was in the media.

“No one has told us about this report. It’s surprising the media got hold of it first,” she indicated.

“Police Hospital Laboratory results found spermatozoa in the samples it took. How can the sample it took to its own forensic lab. not have human semen? This is very strange, indeed.

“The police need to explain how this could have happened,” she stressed.

Mrs Appiah-Opong said “as far as I know, before DNA testing, there was sexual assault and there was rape prosecution and conviction for rape and so I will plead with the Attorney-General’s Office to continue with the prosecution”.

Victimisation

The lawyer for Rabih had, on December 19, 2017, accused the state of victimisation.

According to Mr Ralph Poku Adusei, Rabih was being victimised because he had been labelled as a Lebanese rapist.

He also alleged that there was crisis on hand because the prosecution was not explicit on why his client was arrested.

A Senior State Attorney, Ms Rebecca Smith, indicated that the state had filed an affidavit in opposition to the accused person’s request for bail.

The presiding judge, Mr Justice Kofi Dorgu, told the court that he was studying the bail application and other documents filed in connection with the case.

The court is expected to rule on the bail application today, January 15, 2018.

Rabih is currently on admission at the Ridge Hospital in Accra.

Facts

Per the facts of the case, the 19-year-old house help was employed by Rabih and his wife in November 2017.

Ever since the house help moved into the house, the prosecutor said, Rabih had been pestering her for sex.

According to Supt Bempah, on November 30, 2017, Rabih lured the house help into one of the bedrooms upstairs and “forcibly had sexual intercourse with her when his wife and other occupants of the house had gone out”.

He explained that on December 2, 2017, Rabih requested the house help to prepare coffee for him.

“When she went to the kitchen to prepare the coffee, Rabih went to her and demanded to have sexual intercourse with her. She resisted and that infuriated Rabih, who slapped her and hit her on the neck.

“He then dragged her into the master bedroom, stripped her naked and forcibly had sex with her on the bed,’’ he said.

Supt Bempah said the house help reported her ordeal to a co-worker, who also gave the information out to the police.

The matter, he said, was subsequently reported to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), leading to Rabih’s arrest.