Patrick Kwame Agyapong
A 23-year-old man, Patrick Kwame Agyapong, who sexually assaulted a five-old girl, has been jailed for 15 years by a circuit court in Bekwai in the Ashanti Region.
The convict, a mason apprentice, pleaded guilty to one count of defiling a child less than 16 years of age, contrary to Section 101 (2) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act29) as amended by Act554.
Prosecutor, Chief Inspector Stephen Ofori told the court Patrick Kwame Agyapong committed the dastardly act on October 20, 2021 at Apinkra, a farming community in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region.
He said the complainant in the case, Dorcas Mensah, a farmer, and convict Patrick Kwame Agyapong Patrick lived in the same vicinity at Apinkra.
According to prosecution, investigations revealed that the convict began his reign of abuse and indecent assaults of young in the area sometime back, but luck eluded him on Wednesday October 20, 2021 about 12:30pm when he preyed on the vulnerability of the 5-year-old-girl, who was returning home after her mother sent her on an errand.
Chief Inspector Ofori narrated that the victim, while returning home, was lured by the convict to follow him to a nearby bush where he sexually assaulted her.
He stated that one Afia Agyapomaa and her husband, Kwaku Gyasi, who are close neighbours of the complainant, caught Patrick Kwame Agyapong red-handed, having trailed the convict.
He said the convict bolted away as both witnesses went to the girl’s rescue, noting that Patrick had then fingered the victim.
The prosecutor indicated that the victim narrated her ordeal to her rescuers who passed on the information to the complainant.
The complainant reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of Patrick, and added that Dr. Harrison Twumasi of Kuntanase Government Hospital confirmed a broken hymen with a reddened valve upon medically examining the victim.
He said Patrick admitted the offence during police interrogation and after investigations, he was charged and arraigned thereof.
By Ernest Kofi Adu