A 21-year-old mason has been dragged before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defiling and impregnating a minor at Oyarifa in the Greater Accra Region.
The suspect, Kwaku Honu, according to the police, met the victim at Bawjiase in the Central Region in February this year and in the course of their friendship invited her to his place where he had sexual intercourse with her on multiple occasions.
The victim is said to have been living with the suspect and his parents since then and the suspect had continued to sleep with her, resulting in the pregnancy.
He however, took offence when he was told that the victim was pregnant and had allegedly started harassing her.
He was put before the court for one count of defiling a child under the age of 16 years.
His plea was not take as the prosecution led by Chief Inspector J.B. Asante told the court that the police were yet to receive the radiology of the victim, as well as ascertain her age.
She said investigations into the matter were still ongoing hence they will not take the accused person’s plea.
There was, however, a drama when the presiding judge, Mrs. Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku asked the suspect whether he knew the HIV status of the victim before having unprotected sex with her.
The suspect who initially appeared to have no idea about what HIV was, later told the court that he did know whether the victim had the disease or not yet felt no need to protect himself.
He narrated that the victim said she was already pregnant before he met her therefore he cannot be the father of the child.
Asked by the judge whether he did not notice the victim was already pregnant when he brought her home, he said it was dark when the victim visited so he did not pay any attention to that.
He was subsequently granted bail in the sum of GH?20,000 with two sureties.
Her Honour Adjin-Doku advised the suspect to check the HIV status of ladies the next time he wants to have sex, or better still he should protect himself before he does so.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak