Prosecutor's lateness delays Tichler's case

An Accra Circuit court on Thursday could not hear the case involving the 57-year-old British national who allegedly defiled his Ghanaian host's three-year-old daughter because the prosecutor from the Attorney General's Office appeared in court late. The case has been re-scheduled for Friday November 2, for hearing. Thomas Alan Tichler, a Consultant has been charged with causing harm and indecent assault on the three-year-old victim. The suspect, who is alleged to have inserted his fingers into the private parts of his victim could also be charged with defilement in addition to the causing harm and indecent assault. The court could not hear Thomas Tichler's case because the prosecutor and his team who were supposed to bring accused on time arrived at the court very late. The presiding Judge, Mrs Georgina Mensah-Datsa had already closed for the day when the prosecutors brought the accused to court. Besides, Counsel for the accused also expressed concern about the prosecution attitude because he had been waiting for the police to bring the suspect. The facts of the case are that Tichler visited the victim's father at North Legon, near the Redco Flats on October 13, 2007. The victim's father left the victim and her two siblings in the care of Tichler to purchase some items from town. Tichler decided to play with the victim and her two siblings aged eight and six, in the living room but later managed to get the victim alone and proceeded to insert his fingers into her vagina. Not long after, the victim's mother arrived from town and just as she entered the kitchen, Tichler followed her and requested for water to wash his hands. Later, the victim went to her mother and said she wanted to urinate and while helping her, the mother noticed blood stains in the victims panties. The victim mentioned the accused person as the one who inserted his fingers into her vagina when her mother questioned her. Tichler was arrested and handed over to the Legon Police. The victim was later taken to hospital where she was examined, treated and discharged.