A 63-year-old farmer, Joseph Begyina has been jailed to serve a 10years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 7-year-old girl.
The accused was convicted on his plea by Cape Coast Circuit Court in the Central Region presided over by Dorinda Smith-Arthur.
The Prosecutor, Chief Inspector Gilbert Adongo who briefed the court, said Esther Duodu, a class three pupil of Nyamebekyere D/C Basic School resides with her father, Yaw Duodo, and family at Assin Bereku Nyamebekyere.
According to the Prosecutor, the father of Esther is a cocoa farmer who sells local gin which Joseph Begyina (the convict) walks for a distance of about 500 meters to buy daily.
He told the court that on Saturday, April 29, at around 3pm Joseph Begyina went to buy local gin from Duodu and after he was served, Duodu asked Esther to take care of the drinks whilst he went to work on his farm.
He said after working for about 5 minutes, Duodu decided to come to the compound to pick something but did not see her daughter where he sells the drinks.
He then started calling her to ask why she left the drinks outside. Upon hearing her father’s voice, Esther came out of the room.
The Prosecutor explained that during the questioning, her father saw Begyina also coming out of Esther’s room whiles zipping his shorts. Duodu then became alarmed and raised Esther’s dress to see what had happened in the room and found out her daughter was without pants.
He questioned her and Esther told him what Begyina did to her, disclosing that he had slept with her on two occasions; in the room and twice in the cocoa farm. Duodu upon the information went to complain to the police leading to the arrest of the convict.
The accused after his arrest in his caution statement admitted having sexual intercourse with Esther and pleaded guilty to the charge.
However, a medical form was issued for Esther’s examination and treatment and after careful investigation, he was put before the court.
-BY Daniel Bampoe