*A date for sentencing hearing will be set next month.
A 28-year old Ennis man convicted last July of the rape of a teenage girl he had befriended online, has pleaded guilty to three money laundering offences.
At Ennis Circuit Court, Geoffrey Kumah pleaded guilty to three separate offences concerning the possession of property known to be the proceeds of criminal conduct contrary to sections of the Criminal Justice Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010.
A native of Ghana, Mr Kumah of Showgrounds Court, Drumbiggle Rd, Ennis, Co Clare pleaded guilty to recklessly knowing that money credited to and withdrawn from accounts in his name at the AIB, An Post and Ulster Bank from three separate dates ranges between February 4th to May 17th 2021 was the proceeds of crime and did handle the money contrary to the Criminal Justice Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act 2010.
The amounts of money subject to each of the money laundering counts were not disclosed in the charges read out in court.
Counsel for the State, Sarah Jane Comerford BL (instructed by Clare State Solicitor, Aisling Casey) said that the guilty pleas to the three counts are acceptable to the DPP on a full facts basis.
Ms Comerford said that two further counts will be taken into consideration.
Counsel for Mr Kumah, Pat Purcell BL (instructed by solicitor, Colum Doherty) told Judge Francis Comerford that his client is currently serving “a lengthy sentence”.
Mr Kumah was brought to court on Thursday to enter his guilty pleas from Mountjoy prison where he is currently serving a seven year sentence with the final six months suspended imposed on him at the Central Criminal Court last July for the rape of the teenage girl.
In that case, the court heard that Mr Kumah raped the then 17 year old girl at his accommodation at a former address Park Avenue, Ennis, on October 21, 2018.
She told the court Kumah had robbed her of her innocence and described feeling like she had to “act normal” afterwards for her own safety.
She said Kumah will serve his time and eventually be free but his actions will haunt her for the rest of her life. “You reap what you sow and I pray you live the life you deserve,” she told Kumah.
The Central Criminal Court heard that Kumah was 22-years old at the time of the offence.
Kumah was convicted of rape by a jury following a trial in Limerick in May 2024. Prior to his rape conviction, Mr Kumah had no previous convictions.
Passing sentence last July, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath commended the young woman for her eloquent, brave and courageous victim impact statement. He said it was clear she had been significantly traumatised and harmed by the offending.
A Garda told Paul Carroll SC, prosecuting, that Kumah prior to the offence sent a friend request on Facebook to the teenager and they continued to communicate via Snapchat.
Mr Purcell also represented Mr Kumah in that case and said that his client had been born in Ghana and lost his father at an early age. Mr Kumah came to Ireland where he worked in a hotel and sent money home to his mother.
Mr Justice MacGrath said Kumah had taken advantage of her innocence and young age, against a background of messages prior to their first meeting.
In court on Thursday, Judge Francis Comerford remanded Mr Kumah to appear before Ennis Circuit Court on March 25th to fix a date for the sentencing hearing.
