British-Ghanaian rapper Andy Anokye, popularly known as Solo 45, has been sentenced to 24 years in jail for imprisoning and repeatedly raping four women. He was found guilty of 21 rapes, five counts of false imprisonment, two counts of assault by penetration and two of actual bodily harm
The offences were committed between February 2015 and March 2017.
Police began investigating Anokye in 2017 after one of his victims reported to friends and police that she had been raped.
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During investigation Police officers discovered harrowing videos filmed by Anokye on his mobile phone, which led the police to three other women.
It was discovered that the rapper met these victims at his gigs and was later into a relationships with them before assaulting them.
One of his, Anokye’s victims, who testified in court, told the Guardian: “He kept me on the bed and put a flannel over my face and poured a bottle of water over it, which made me feel like I was drowning.”
Another victim narrated that she was stabbed in the thigh and held at knifepoint.
However, Anokye told the court that all the acts were consensual role played by the victims in a game called “catch me, rape me”.
According to prosecutors, he forced one of his victims to lie in a bath of freezing cold water, and also made another woman sit with a bottle of water tied to her finger with a shoelace.
Giving evidence, Anokye told the court he had dacryphilia – sexual arousal from tears.
Passing judgement, Judge William Hart directed that Anokye will serve 24 years in prison and five on licence.
The judge also ordered him to compulsorily sign the sex offenders register for life.
“You have no sexual boundaries or empathy for those concerned, you became addicted to the ‘perverted pleasure’ from abusing the women in the case.
“You have a background that includes gang associations and criminal violence.
“I’m entirely satisfied that your career as a music artist was flourishing at the time of this offending and that you would have gone to great heights.
“You were part of a well-known collective – Boy Better Know. The fellow artists from that collective have achieved great success,” the judge held.
The judge added that his convictions have deprived him of his music career but the fault is entirely his alone.
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