Man had child sex video ‘for teaching’

A FAR Northern man has claimed he possessed a sex video involving an adult man and young child for a genuine educational purpose.

The Cairns District Court was told that Kofi Boateng conceded that he was in possession of the video, but pleaded not guilty to one count of possessing children exploitation material.

Yesterday a jury found him guilty of the charge and he was released on a $1000 good behaviour bond.

Crown prosecutor Miles Dickson said Mr Boateng argued there was a genuine reason he had the video.

Defence barrister Peter Feeney said there was a section in the Queensland criminal statute that stated it was a defence if the defendant could prove the alleged conduct was “for a genuine, artistic, educational, legal, medical, scientific, for public benefit purpose” and that the defendant’s conduct under the circumstances was reasonable for that purpose.

Mr Feeney said Mr Kofi was from Ghana, but had lived and worked in Sierra Leone and had helped to establish two havens for people in need called African Christian Homes.

“Those centres which provide benefits for thousands are almost entirely supported by people in the Cairns area through donations of clothes, computers ... equipment ... anything useful,” Mr Feeney said.

“In addition people travel from Cairns to lend skills to those who run the centres.”

Mr Feeney said Mr Boateng had been sent the child exploitation material because he intended to use it at a workshop for people who intended to go to Sierra Leone and Ghana.