Court jails Ghanaian in London for rape

• Kwame Boakye - jailed 25 years

A Ghanaian has been jailed by a Crown Court in London for 25 years after he lured a woman to his flat, drugged her and raped her while she was unconscious.

Kwame Boakye, 53, who works as a security guard, raped the woman and a second victim at his home in Evelyn Street, Deptford after he had used his influence in the Ghanaian community to befriend them.

The Woolwich Crown Court in South East London was told that Boakye persuaded his first victim to come to his home after convincing her that he could help find her a job.

When the lady (name withheld) arrived at Boakye’s house, he drugged her with a cup of tea before raping her.
The jurors were told he was subsequently arrested on suspicion of rape but denied attacking the woman, claiming he was impotent.

While on bail, Boakye raped a second Ghanaian woman whom he also lured to his home by pretending he was a clothes trader in Ghana.

He then "carried out a campaign of intimidation and threats" to repeatedly coerce the woman into returning to his flat over a series of weeks so he could rape her, police said.

He was eventually charged with three counts of rape in relation to his two victims, which he denied, but was jailed last Friday after a trial.

Detective Constable Chris Hammond and Detective Constable Liz McAvoy, who led the investigation for the Met's Sexual Offences Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, issued a joint statement after Boakye was sentenced.

They urged Boakye's other potential victims to speak to them as they described him as a "dangerous, calculating and predatory rapist."

"Kwame Boakye used his position of influence in the Ghanaian community to befriend his victims and gain their trust. He then used this trust to lure them to his flat where he attacked them,’’ they said.

"We would like to thank his victims for their bravery in reporting him to the police and providing their evidence in court,” the statement said.

Source: Graphic Online