A 28-year-old unemployed man, Kwame Mensah has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in hard labour by an Accra Circuit court for defiling a 10-year-old girl.
He was hauled before the court in January this year on defilement charges.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
When the court asked for his final words before the sentence, he pleaded with the court presided over by Mrs. Harriet Jane Akweley Quaye to tamper justice with mercy.
He said his mother is an old lady and he is the only person taking care of her.
The judge then slapped him with 20 years’ imprisonment in hard labour.
The facts of the case as presented by state prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agnes Boafo are that the complainant is Edith Ansah, the Greater Accra Regional Manager of Forestry Commission while the victim is a class three pupil who stays with her grandmother at Mamobi in Accra.
According to her, about 10:am on January 17, 2017, the accused spotted the victim at her school at Kotobabi and proceeded to convince her that he has been providing textbooks and pens to their class four teacher and asked her to follow him and collect the said items for her teacher.
The victim unaware she was walking into a trap followed him and he lured her into a ‘trotro’ and took her to Achimota.
He then took the victim to the Achimota forest reserve where he asked her to lie on the floor. ASP Boafo told the court that the victim refused to comply and started crying.
The accused then slapped her twice and took out a knife with which he threatened to kill the victim if she does not comply.
The victim out of fear lay down and the accused had sexual intercourse with her.
Fortunately for the victim the Achimota Forestry Rapid Response Taskforce arrived at the scene just as the accused was about to get dressed up.
The taskforce gave him a hot chase and apprehended him. He and the victim were then taken to Tesano Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU).
She said a medical examination was then conducted on the victim with the report submitted.
By Gibril Abdul Razak