A circuit court in Bekwai has sentenced a 40-year-old barber, Kwabena Acheampong alias Appiatus, into 15 years’ imprisonment in hard labour for defiling an 11-year-old girl.
On March 14, 2022, the convict purportedly lured the child into his room and sexually abused her in Yaase, near Kuntanase, in the Bosomtwi District of the Ashanti Region.
The court, presided over by Isaac Apeatu, found him guilty of defiling a child under the age of 16, contrary to Section 101 (2) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) as amended by Section 11 of Act 554.
Giving brief facts of the case, Prosecutor, Detective Chief inspector Eric Twum, said the complainant, Stephen Mensah, is a farmer and resides at Yaase with his wife and children, including the victim (name withheld), a basic-five pupil.
According to him, the accused, Kwabena Acheampong alias Appiatus, resides in the same community with the complainant.
Chief Inspector Twum said the victim went out to play with her friends on March 14, 2022, at 6:00pm, and was returning home around 8:00pm when the accused enticed her into his room and defiled her.
He stated that while the victim was still in the accused’s room, the complainant and his wife returned from the farm and began looking for her, but were unable to locate her.
According to the prosecutor, someone informed them that the convict was spotted saying something into the victim’s ear in the evening.
He said that the complainant’s wife and daughter raced to the accused’s residence and caught him red-handed in the act.
He stated that the victim was subsequently rescued, and she revealed that the convict had sex with her in his room the day before, about 9:00 p.m., on her way home from her uncle’s house.
A case was reported to the police for investigation, and the complainant was given a police medical form to take the victim to the hospital.
On March 15, 2022, the victim was admitted to the Kuntanase Government Hospital and discharged the following day.
The prosecutor reported that the medical officer of Kuntanase Government Hospital, Dr. Daniel Kwadwo Saim, examined the victim and confirmed defilement.
Chief Inspector Twum said the convict was arrested on March 16, 2022 at his hideout at Feyiase.
He asserted that convict Acheampong denied the offence defilement in his investigation cautioned statement, but said he rather fingered the victim.
He was arraigned after police investigations.
By Ernest Kofi Adu