Chantelle Nunekpeku, who has been sentenced into prison for distributing supposedly naked pictures of her boyfriend’s ex-lover, had been ordered by an Accra High Court to file an appeal application within 21 days.

 The order was based upon a failure on the part of Chantelle to file appeal processes since 2018 after she was granted bail pending the appeal.

The state, which is the respondent in the matter before the High Court, represented by Amerley Agyaman said the appeal was emanating from the Circuit Court and that Chantelle was convicted after she was found guilty of the charges levelled against her.

She told the court today that Chantelle together with her boyfriend were granted bail pending the appeal. However, Chantelle since her 12 months conviction by the Circuit Court in 2018 and subsequent granting of bail application, has woefully failed to file her appeal.

Ms Agyeman urged the court that respondent desire to have the appeal heard.

Chantelle’s lawyers on the other hand pleaded with the court to adjourn the case because she was currently out of the jurisdiction and the incident of the Coronavirus made it difficult for her to appear before Her Ladyship the judge.

The court found the excuse for Chantelle not being in court as inadequate, hence gave an order that the convict files her appeal submissions by 21 days.

The court adjourned the next hearing to April 30, 2021.

Background

Chantelle is a beautician while her boyfriend, Kayode Kalode, a music producer, who also happened to be the ex-lover of the complainant in the matter Destina Tata whose picture had been photoshopped onto other person’s nude body.

Chantelle and Kalode were accused of the offence of photoshopping Tata’s photos and putting on someone else nude body and distributing same on social media.

Chantelle changed her plea to guilty from not guilty, hence the 12 months sentence handed down to her by the Circuit Court.

The boy-lover, on the other hand pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of GH₵10,000.00.

Chantelle and Kalode were tried for causing the complainant emotional and psychological trauma, thereby undermining her privacy, dignity, integrity and her worth as human being.

By Adelaide Oforiwa