Doctoring, distributing nude pictures: Court to decide on beautician’s appeal

The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court has slated Tuesday, November 2, to deliver a decision on an appeal application brought before it by a beautician, who was jailed for doctoring and distributing nude pictures of one Destina Tata, who happens to be her boyfriend’s ex-lover.

The Court earlier gave October 13, 2021 for the determination of the appeal. However, on the d-day, it was further adjourned to November 2.

Chantel Nunekpeku, the beautician, filed an appeal at the High Court to challenge the ruling of the Circuit Court that handed her the 12-month prison term in 2018.

Following the handing down of the one-year sentence, the convict applied for bail and after the granting of same, pending appeal, failed to file her appeal.

Therefore, on March 30, this year, the court gave the beautician 21 days to file her appeal processes.

Chantel Nunekpeku, who never attended court since the hearing of the appeal application began, was ordered to make an appearance on the next adjourned day, which was April 30.

Nonetheless, Chantel Nunekpku’s lawyers informed the court that the beautician had travelled out of the jurisdiction and her return to the country had been challenged by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite the court not accepting the excuse, the beautician has since not returned to Ghana.

Background:

Chantel was jailed by an Accra Circuit Court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku for photo-shopping the head of Destina Tata onto a naked photograph of another person and distributing the same on social media.

Thus, Chantel admitted sending the photo-shopped nude pictures of the complainant to social media, adding that she did that out of jealousy.

The court was told that on January 23, 2018 that Chantel downloaded pictures of the complainant from social media and photo-shopped them with somebody’s nude pictures and created the impression that the pictures were that of the complainant.

According to the prosecutor, the doctored photo, which went viral, caused the complainant emotional and psychological trauma, thereby undermining her integrity, privacy, dignity, and worth as a human being.

The beautician, together with her boyfriend, Kayode Kalode, a music producer, were arraigned before the court on offences relating to obscenity, domestic violence, and emotional and psychological trauma.

While Kayode Kalode maintained that he was not guilty of the charges, Chantel changed her plea from not guilty to guilty.

Soon after Chantel changed her plea, the court handed down the sentence while Kayode Kalode was granted bail in the tune of GH¢10,000.0