Posted on 05/23/2005 8:17:17 AM PDT by dead
ONE of former President Nelson Mandela’s sons-in-law is wanted in the US for rape — and is a fugitive from justice after violating his bail conditions.
Dr Isaac Amuah, the husband of Mandela’s eldest daughter, Makaziwe, stands accused of raping an algebra student while an assistant professor at the Manchester Technical Community College in Hartford, Connecticut.
The State’s Attorneys office this week confirmed that a warrant for the arrest of the Harvard graduate was issued in January 1994, a month after he left the US for South Africa.
His bail of $10000 was increased to $150000 after he failed to appear in court.
Until now, the US authorities have not pursued Amuah through the South African justice system because he was believed to have been in his native Ghana.
On Thursday, Supervisory Inspector Jim Looby of the State’s Attorneys office said that now that Amuah’s whereabouts had been established, proceedings would be started at once to have him return to the US to face the charges.
The Sunday Times has a copy of his arrest warrant, which states that Amuah failed to appear in the Superior Court in Hartford on January 28 1994 to face charges of sexual assault and rape.
The document lists one charge of rape, two counts of sexual assault, three counts of unlawful restraint and also failure to appear in court.
Amuah left the US shortly after being arrested and paying bail of $10000, but never returned to the US for his next court appearance.
The warrant instructs law enforcement authorities in the state of Connecticut to arrest the suspect.
If extradited and convicted, Amuah could face up to 20 years in jail.
On Friday, Amuah, who is on a trip out of the country, declined to comment about the case.
“I would rather plead with you that as an African brother, just wait for me to come back to South Africa so that we can sit down and talk about it,” he said.
The attorney representing Amuah at the time, Joseph Moniz, was not available for comment.
Amuah allegedly made sexual advances towards the student in his flat on April 23 1993 and the alleged rape followed a few days later.
The woman’s claims were reported to the college’s sexual harassment office, leading to his arrest on May 20 1993.
That December the court allowed Amuah to travel to South Africa to spend Christmas with his family, on condition that he return to Hartford in the first week of January for trial.
But Amuah never returned and instead secured a director’s post at the Foundation for Research Development in Pretoria.
He has been married to Makaziwe Mandela for more than 15 years. The couple were living in the US at the time of the incident.
Amuah, who has a doctorate in physics and education, landed the job of part-time assistant professor at the college in 1990. He was suspended after details of the rape charges emerged when the college held a hearing.
Now a businessman, Amuah was the official Mandela family spokesman in January following the death of Mandela’s son, Makgatho.
That December the court allowed Amuah to travel to South Africa to spend Christmas with his family, on condition that he return to Hartford in the first week of January for trial. But Amuah never returned and instead secured a director’s post at the Foundation for Research Development in Pretoria.
I wonder if this judge regularly allows accused rapists to leave the country, or was this case “special”?
I got a dollar that says "Clinton appointee."
wow :(
He probably raped a white girl so nobody cared...
What does he think he is? A Kennedy?
Apparently, the US media is not interested in reporting yet another (allegedly) violent criminal in the family of this untouchable leftist icon.
I imagine if the alleged offender was the son-in-law of a conservative foreign icon (say Margaret Thatcher), the media response would be a bit more inquisitive about the circumstances surrounding his crime and permission to leave the country.
But I'm just speculating, of course.
He is a native of Ghana. Do we see the unctuous other high-profile Ghanaian's fingerprints here? The, uh, Honorable Kofi Annan?
It's unbelievable that putting panties on the heads of terrorists or flushing a book down the toilet is headline material, yet the son of the head of the UN rapes a girl, is allowed to leave the country and no one reports it.
Freakin' amazing.
I believe you have Mr. Mandela confused with Kofi Annan.
(Leftist international icons for Africa, I mean!)
$10,000 bail? Pathetic.
I think it was a state court. The article mentions the state attorney.
Oh well, I'm out a buck (in a figurative sense.) Maybe the next Clinton will appoint him to a higher court.
yep. Sounds like Hillary's first appointment to the Supreme Court.
BTTT
He probably raped a white girl so nobody cared...
---
oh common! That is pure speculation and I don't see what purpose it serves to say it.
Some people say things for a reaction.
Nelson Mandela, Oprah's friend.
I can't believe it!! Well, actually I can. But Jesus, the judge couldn't have imagined him being a flight risk?
Who are you referring to? Nelson Mandela or Amuah's father?
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