A scenario that looked like a scene from a movie occurred last Thursday when a final-year female student of the University of Ghana Medical School jumped from the first floor of the school’s hostel in an attempt to escape from a suspected rapist.
As a result, the student (name withheld) sustained serious hip and waist injuries and is currently on admission at the Intensive Care Unit of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).
The suspect, Emmanuel Ayeh, 22, a welder and resident of Mamprobi, was arrested by the male colleagues of the victim when she shouted for help and was taken to the Korle Bu Police Station where he is currently being held in custody.
Access to the hostel is open with no security checkpoint at the entrance. The first floor of the three-storey building from which the victim jumped is about 20 feet from the ground.
Eyewitness account
An eyewitness and mate of the victim, who only identified himself as Edwin, told the Daily Graphic that the incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. at the Block R Hostel.
According to Edwin, he was standing downstairs with another mate when he heard shouting and later a thud as their mate jumped from the first floor of the building to the ground.
Instinctively, he said, they both ran to her aid, and she managed to tell them that there was a guy in her room who had a knife and had attempted to rape her.
Students effect arrest
Edwin, who is well-built, said he then asked his other mate to see to the victim as he shouted to other mates for more support.
He then went to the victim’s room where he found the assailant holding a knife, standing with his penis erect.
“We arrested him and took him to the police station,” he recounted.
According to Edwin, the victim, while being sent to hospital, said that she had just returned from the bathroom and entered her room when the assailant entered holding a knife which he pointed at her and asked her to surrender all her valuables and any money she had.
The victim, he said, obliged and handed over her laptop, phones and all the money she had on her, after which the assailant commanded her to undress and lie down.
At that point, he said, she got up and pretending to open the zipper of her trousers, rushed out while shouting and jumped. She bounced off the wedge on the first floor before landing on the ground.
The Korle Bu District Police Commander, Superintendent Peter Yembila, who confirmed the story to the Daily Graphic, said the suspect was currently in custody pending investigations and would soon be arraigned.
Security concerns at the hostels
Meanwhile some students residing in the hostels have expressed concern about the inadequate security at the hostels.
They told the Daily Graphic that crimes took place very often at the hostels, but that was the first time they had experienced a violent one.
Even though there were some security personnel at the various hostels, they said, it was quite difficult for them to differentiate students from non-students; a situation that made it easier for intruders to access the hostels.
