Akuapem Poloo goes back to prison after losing appeal

Convicted actress and social media personality, Rosemond Alade Brown, aka Akuapem Poloo, is expected to return to prison to complete her 90-day jail term after an Accra High Court quashed her appeal.

Akuapem Polo was handed the prison sentence by an Accra Circuit Court for publishing a nude picture of herself and her seven-year-old son who was only wearing underwear.

The controversial actress was convicted on three charges of publication of obscene materials, engaging in domestic violence, a conduct that in any way undermines another person’s privacy or integrity, and conduct that in any way detracts or is likely to detract the dignity of another person and the person’s worth as a human being.

In an appeal challenging the court’s decision to hand her a custodial sentence instead of a fine, her lawyer argued that the sentence was harsh.

The court granted Akuapem Poloo’s appeal against the sentencing as well as bail pending the appeal.

But an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Ruby Aryeetey has dismissed the appeal on grounds that the sentencing handed by the trial court was not manifestly excessive.

Justice Aryeetey said the Court will not interfere with the sentencing given by the Circuit Court to serve as a deterrent to other parents who may have the intention of doing a similar thing.

She ordered that Akuapem Poloo’s child should be put in the care of a competent person in her family while she serves her prison term.

Akuapem Poloo pleaded not guilty when she was initially dragged to court on June 30, 2020, to celebrate the boy’s birthday.

She was granted bail in the sum of One Hundred Thousand Ghana cedis with four sureties, two of who must be justified.

She was convicted after she changed her plea from not guilty at the commencement of the case, to guilty midway into the trial.

In sentencing her, the court presided over by Her Honour Christiana Cann, took into consideration the aggravating facts, intrinsic seriousness of the offence, gravity, prevalence, and premeditation with which she committed the offence.

The court also took into consideration the mitigating factors, which included pleading guilty simplicita, being a single parent, and the convict’s show of remorse.

The presiding judge, however, went on to express concern about the sudden increase in the abuse of children in the country.

The court in giving its reasons to buttress the sentence held the view that the action of the accused did not only infringe on the rights of the child but morally corrupted those who saw the post.