A devastating case of child defilement has led to the sentencing of Stephen Otu, a 32-year-old tiler, to 22 years imprisonment with hard labor.
Otu, popularly known as Atta, pleaded guilty to the charges and begged for mercy, but the court found him guilty and handed down the sentence as a deterrent to others ¹.
According to Chief Inspector of Police Abraham Ayitey, the prosecution told the court that the victim, a 12-year-old primary six student, was defiled by Otu in Wassa Akropong township. The convict had asked the victim her age, and despite knowing she was only 12, he lured her into his room, assaulted her sexually, and gave her GH¢20.00 after the act.
The court heard that Otu took advantage of the victim on three separate occasions, resulting in her pregnancy. The victim’s mother discovered her pregnancy on November 24, 2024, and the victim revealed that Otu was responsible. A report was made to the police, and a medical examination confirmed that the victim was two months pregnant.
The court, presided over by Hathia Ama Manu, sentenced Otu to 22 years imprisonment with hard labor, emphasizing that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others who might engage in similar acts.
The Dambai Circuit Court has jailed a 19-year-old farmer, Alex Aziabu, to ten years’ imprisonment in hard labour for defiling a 15-year-old girl.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth-Vincent Kpodo, prosecuting, told the court, presided over by Mr. Osman Abdul Hakeem, that, the complainant was a farmer and father of the victim.
He said on October 30, 2024, at about 1030 hours, the victim walking home from an errand towards her village, got a hot chase from the convict without any provocation.
ASP Kpodo said the convict caught up with the victim, dragged her to a nearby bush and had sexual intercourse with her.
He said the convict, upon seeing blood coming from the victim’s private part, stopped the act and asked her to go home.
ASP Kpodo said the victim upon reaching home informed her parents about the incident and led a team to the parents of the convict leading to his arrest, and later transfer to the police station.
He said the convict admitted the offence in his caution statement, while a police medical form was issued for the girl to attend hospital for examination and treatment which she did.
He said the endorsed police medical report stated that “urethral catheter present, no discharged seen but actively bleeding with some clots in the perineum……,” which confirmed the act
Aziabu pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared before the Dambai Circuit Court.
A 28-year-old domestic worker has been sentenced to seven years in prison for having sexual intercourse with his employer’s 12-year-old daughter.
The accused, Augustine Owusu, pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement. The court, presided over by Judge Dora Inkumsah Eshun, convicted Owusu based on his plea and sentenced him accordingly.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Opoku Aniagyei, presented the case, which involved the victim, a Junior High School student, and Owusu, who was employed to care for the victim’s grandfather in the same household.
The prosecution established that Owusu had sexual intercourse with the victim on multiple occasions between June and November 2023.
The victim’s grandfather grew suspicious of Owusu’s behavior and alerted the victim’s mother, who warned Owusu to stay away from her daughter.
Despite this warning, Owusu continued his actions, leading to his eventual arrest on March 10, 2024. During the investigation, Owusu admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim on two occasions.
The Ghana Police Service has arrested Nana Poku Piesie, also known as Kwabena, after a video surfaced in which he admitted to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.
The police have confirmed that the suspect is in custody and is assisting with investigations. They have assured the public that the suspect will be taken through the due process of the law.
The arrest follows widespread outrage and calls for action from the public, including Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie and actress Lydia Forson.
The video, which has gone viral, shows Nana Poku admitting to having a sexual relationship with the minor, which began when she was in primary school and continued until she completed high school.
In a radio interview on Sompa FM, Nana Poku claimed that he had sexual relations with the 14-year-old girl and that her father is a wealthy man in Dormaa Ahenkro. He also stated that a teacher is now making sexual advances towards his own daughter, implying that karma is serving him for his past actions.
Nana Poku’s admission has sparked widespread condemnation, with many calling for him to be held accountable for his actions.
Lydia Forson wrote on social media: “If I speak on this video now, you will say I hate men. You will ignore that this man openly bragged about sleeping with a 14-year-old on air. You will instead focus on my outrage; or make it the 14-year-old’s fault for allowing this.”
Sarkodie reposted Lydia’s comment, adding: “I sense no hate here. He should not be walking around freely.”
According to Section 101 of the Criminal Code Act 29, 1960, “a person who naturally or unnaturally carnally knows a child under sixteen years of age, whether with or without consent, commits a criminal offence and is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than seven years and not more than twenty-five years.”
A fifty-year-old security guard has been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old.
Winfred Nyefene is alleged to have offered the victim GHC2 after his last sexual encounter with the nine-year-old.
During the hearing, Nyefene was charged with defilement of which he pleaded not guilty.
Susana Eduful, the relieving judge, admitted Nyefene to bail in the sum of GHC100,000 with two sureties, one of whom must be a family member and the other a public servant earning at least GHC2,000.
The court has adjourned the matter to March 13, 2024.
The court further advised Nyefene to seek the services of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Commission.
The prosecution argued that the complainant is the mother of the victim, a class four pupil.
It said the parties in the case are co-tenants residing at Abeka, Accra.
On January 8, 2024, at about 1800 hours, a witness in the case saw the victim coming from Nyefene’s room.
The prosecution stated that a witness who had previously observed the victim leave the room became “highly suspicious” and alerted another relative, who then informed the complainant.
It said the complainant examined the victim, who disclosed that Nyefene had sexual intercourse with her on several occasions, the most recent being January 8, 2024.
According to the prosecutor, the victim mentioned the most recent incident, in which Nyefene offered her GHc2.00 for having sex with her in his room.
On January 9, 2024, the Tesano DOVVSU received a report on the matter and issued a medical form for the victim to be examined and treated.
In the victim’s statement to the police, she indicated that Nyefene had had sex with her on five separate occasions.
The prosecution said Nyefene was arrested but denied the offence in his caution statement.
A 47-year-old driver, Joseph Yankson, has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Gender-Based Court at the Police Headquarters for sexually abusing his 13-year-old stepdaughter in Tetegu, Accra.
Yankson took advantage of the victim’s mother’s absence and committed the act twice, promising to appease the family with a sheep after the first incident.
Charged with defilement, Yankson pleaded guilty, leading to his conviction by the court presided over by Dora Eshun Inkumasah. Chief Inspector Opoku Aniagyie, representing Chief Inspector Simon Tekpor, stated that the complainant, a teacher and friend of the victim’s mother, reported the incident.
The court heard that the accused, now a convict, was the stepfather of the victim, and they lived together in Tetegu. In 2023, the victim’s mother left for Ajumako in the Central Region, leaving the children in the care of Yankson.
Taking advantage of the situation, Yankson engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim. Upon the victim’s mother’s return, the crime was reported, leading to a family meeting where Yankson admitted the offense and promised to appease the family.
However, on December 26, 2023, Yankson repeated the act, and the victim informed her mother upon her return.
The matter was then reported to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, leading to the issuance of a medical form for the victim’s examination and treatment on January 4, 2024.
A viral video on X, formerly Twitter, has brought to light a case of defilement involving a Basic 6 pupil.
Ama, a 14-year-old girl, has been abandoned by a 30-year-old man who got her pregnant. The teen, in a video shared by X user, @EvianaGh, currently has a baby who is a month old.
Ama, who is now a school dropout, indicated that she was in a romantic relationship with the absconded man. She said he failed to take responsibility and denied the baby.
“He was my only boyfriend. He broke my virginity. I was with him only. But when I became pregnant, he said it wasn’t him. My grandma spoke to him but he insisted it was not him. We took him to the Assembly but he insisted it wasn’t his.”
Ama’s grandmother had to step in and take care of her grandchild while pregnant.
The issue has garnered several reactions from X users. Some have commiserated with Ama, but others such as social media influencer, Bongo Ideas, have blamed Ama for her ordeal.
“If she is old enough to open her legs, then she’s old enough to bear the consequences. Let’s allow people to take responsibility for their actions,” @BongoIdeas wrote.
But this assertion has been shot down by many who say there is no justification for a defilement case, whether the minor agreed or not to the sexual act.
“People saying did ama agreed den things Dey funny me ooo, how would u sleep with a minor in the first place ? Chale something’s Dey aaaa we shouldn’t take play,” @fawogyimiiko wrote.
A 30yr old man impregnates and abandons a 14yr old Ama 😡
What exactly is wrong with men. What exactly do they see in these young ones.
What really is the attraction bait in these minors?
Criminal Offences Act, 1960 defines defilement in Section 101(2) of Act 29 as natural or unnatural carnal knowledge of a child under sixteen years of age with or without the child’s consent.
According to section 14(a) of Act 29, consent for carnal knowledge of a child under sixteen years is void – with punishment of not less than seven years and not more than twenty five years in prison.
This means that although, morally Ama might be questioned on her decision, legally she has no responsibility but rather, the adult would be held accountable for engaging in an unlawful act by being in a romantic relationship with a minor.
How abreast are you of Ghana’s laws to enable you to walk out of a ‘legal trap’ that could land you in prison for seven to at most 25 years?
As an adult, much responsibility is expected of you when dealing with a minor, and the least act deemed unlawful could land one in trouble.
Defilement is one of the many cases that has had many argue in the context of morality and expect the law to go in their favour. But the law is precise on what it calls defilement.
The Criminal Offences Act, 1960 defines defilement in Section 101(2) of Act 29 as natural or unnatural carnal knowledge of a child under sixteen years of age with or without the child’s consent.
Why the need for this write-up on defilement? A viral video on X, formerly Twitter, has brought to light a case of defilement involving a Basic 6 pupil.
Ama, a 14-year-old girl, has been abandoned by a 30-year-old man who got her pregnant. The teen, in a video shared by X user, @EvianaGh, currently has a baby who is a month old.
Ama, who is now a school dropout, indicated that she was in a romantic relationship with the absconded man. She said he failed to take responsibility and denied the baby.
“He was my only boyfriend. He broke my virginity. I was with him only. But when I became pregnant, he said it wasn’t him. My grandma spoke to him but he insisted it was not him. We took him to the Assembly but he insisted it wasn’t his.”
Ama’s grandmother had to step in and take care of her grandchild while pregnant.
The issue has garnered several reactions from X users. Some have commiserated with Ama, but others such as social media influencer, Bongo Ideas, have blamed Ama for her ordeal.
“If she is old enough to open her legs, then she’s old enough to bear the consequences. Let’s allow people to take responsibility for their actions,” @BongoIdeas wrote.
But this assertion has been shot down by many who say there is no justification for a defilement case, whether the minor agreed or not to the sexual act.
“People saying did ama agreed den things Dey funny me ooo, how would u sleep with a minor in the first place ? Chale something’s Dey aaaa we shouldn’t take play,” @fawogyimiiko wrote.
A 30yr old man impregnates and abandons a 14yr old Ama 😡
What exactly is wrong with men. What exactly do they see in these young ones.
What really is the attraction bait in these minors?
No matter how one argues on moral grounds and blames Ama for willingly accepting a proposal from a 30-year-old man, the teen cannot be held legally responsible for her actions as she is viewed as a citizen unable to make sound judgement.
According to section 14(a) of Act 29, consent for carnal knowledge of a child under sixteen years is void – with punishment of not less than seven years and not more than twenty-five years in prison.
This means that although morally Ama might be questioned about her decision, legally she has no responsibility, but rather, the adult would be held accountable for engaging in an unlawful act by being in a romantic relationship with a minor.
A 22-year-old man has been apprehended by the Upper West regional police CID for allegedly sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl in Wa.
The incident took place on Saturday afternoon within an unfinished building situated in the Banmaarayiri community.
According to the child’s mother, she had sent her daughter to attend Arabic classes that Saturday morning. However, when the child did not return as expected, the mother grew concerned and began searching for her.
She discovered her daughter at the uncompleted building, where she witnessed the 22-year-old man, who was partially dressed, in a compromising situation with the child.
In response, the mother raised an alarm, and concerned neighbors swiftly intervened, managing to apprehend the suspect.
The police were alerted and subsequently took the suspect into custody. The young girl was promptly transported to the Wa Municipal Hospital for a medical examination.
The police have initiated an investigation into the incident.
The Police have arrested a 24-year-old illegal miner on charges of sexually assaulting a young girl in Akrokere in the Ashanti Region’s Adansi North District.
The victim, a 9-year-old girl currently enrolled in Primary 3, is identified as Ebenezer Adu’s target.
According to information obtained from sources close to Adom News, the suspect and the mother of the young girl both reside in the same residence.
Allegedly, the woman had asked the suspect to allow the girl to sleep in his room when her boyfriend or fiancé visited her during the night.
The source disclosed that the illegal miner took improper advantage of the situation and sexually abused the young girl on multiple occasions.
The distressing situation came to light when the girl attended school with a mobile phone given to her by the accused miner.
The girl’s mother, Faustina Yamu, has verified the incident in a phone conversation with Adom News.
She confirmed that the suspect has been turned over to the Obuasi police, while her daughter is presently receiving medical treatment at a hospital.
The Tarkwa circuit court sentenced a 20-year-old teacher named Jephtah Agyarko to 12 years of hard labor for defiling a student in his class.
Agyarko initially pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement during his first court appearance, and the presiding judge, Hathia Ama Manu, postponed the sentencing.
According to Chief Inspector Joseph Lartey, who was prosecuting the case, the complainant is a farmer residing in Tetrem, within the Tarkwa-Nsuaem municipality, and she lives with her 14-year-old daughter, the victim. The convict, Agyarko, was the former class teacher of the victim and also attended the same church as the victim’s family.
On June 23, 2023, after school had ended for the day, the convict deliberately asked the victim if she planned to attend the watch night service, which their church was organizing for the same evening.
Chief Inspector Lartey explained that the victim, out of ignorance, informed Agyarko that she wouldn’t be attending but was certain that her parents would be present at the service.
Prosecution further detailed that on that same evening, at around 8:00 PM, the victim was alone at home when she heard a knock at the door. She went to answer it and was shocked to find the convict standing outside their main gate.
According to Chief Inspector Lartey, when the victim questioned the purpose of Agyarko’s presence in her house at such a late hour, he claimed to have come to visit someone in Tetrem and decided to check on her.
Taking advantage of the situation, Agyarko was able to convince the victim to let him into their living room, where he forcibly engaged in sexual intercourse with her.
Overwhelmed by fear of potential punishment from her parents, the victim chose not to disclose the incident to them and kept it a secret.
Chief Inspector Lartey explained that the victim, feeling upset and disappointed by Agyarko’s actions, attempted to convey her emotions through a letter. Unfortunately, the headmaster of the school got hold of this letter.
The court learned that on August 13, 2023, the headmaster, in collaboration with Agyarko, brought the matter to the attention of the victim’s parents.
On August 18, 2023, a formal report was made to the police, leading to the subsequent arrest of the accused. During the course of the investigation, Agyarko admitted to the offense in his statement, as confirmed by Chief Inspector Lartey.
A Wa Circuit Court has scheduled October 17, 2023, as the date for delivering its judgment in one of the four cases linked to the defilement allegations against Ahmed Rashid, also known as Anaata.
Presided over by His Honour Jonathan Avogo, the court has directed the prosecution to submit written addresses by September 27, 2023.
In this particular case, the accused, Rashid Ahmed, began his defense without legal representation. He took the witness stand and underwent cross-examination by the prosecutor. This docket involves three alleged defilement survivors and comprises six counts.
The accused acknowledged recognizing two of the three survivors mentioned in this docket, with one of them being the daughter of his stepmother.
Rashid Ahmed also admitted to having one wife and two children, aged approximately five and two years, respectively. Additionally, he acknowledged impregnating an 18-year-old girl, identified by the prosecution as a Junior High School student.
During cross-examination, the accused conceded that he had been accused in the past by his aunt of engaging in sexual activity with her daughter.
The prosecution, led by Mr. Saeed Abdul Shakur, a Principal State Attorney in the Upper West Region, suggested that the accused had lured the survivors with food to commit the defilement, an accusation which the accused denied.
Furthermore, it was suggested that the accused had taken advantage of his relationship with one of the survivor’s mothers to commit the sexual offenses, but he again denied the allegation.
The prosecution also proposed that when the accused’s wife left for her family’s residence following a marital dispute, he had exploited that period, lasting approximately three months, to engage in sexual activities with girls. The accused denied this as well.
During cross-examination, a witness named Razark Adam, who testified on behalf of the accused, admitted that most of the accused person’s friends were women and girls.
Meanwhile, Rashid Ahmed, also known as Anaata, is expected to present his defense in two additional cases on Wednesday, September 6, 2023.
Rashid Ahmed, alias Anaata, a well-known Master of Ceremony (MC) for Islamic weddings in Wa, is approximately 35 years old and is facing trial on about 20 counts related to defilement, attempted defilement, and indecent assault, all of which he has denied in court. He stands accused of defiling around 30 girls in Wa, aged between 12 and 15 years, with nine survivors having testified in the case.
The Gender-Based Violence Court at the Police Headquarters in Accra is currently hearing a defilement case involving a male driver.
Kingsley Asamoah is accused of defiling his ex-lover’s 15-year-old daughter on five occasions.
Kwabena Kodua Obiri Yeboah, who presided over the case, granted the accused bail in the sum of GHC 30,000 with two sureties.
The matter has been adjourned to September 7, 2023.
According to the prosecution, led by Detective Chief Inspector Simon Tekpor, the complainant is a hairdresser and a former lover of Kingsley who lives in Lartebiokorshie with her daughter.
The prosecution said Asamoah and the complainant had an intimate relationship during which she fell pregnant but miscarried.
Their relationship, however, ended.
However, because of the accused’s previous relationship with the complainant, the victim has been running errands for Asamoah.
The prosecution said Asamoah exploited his relationship with the victim to have sex with her behind the complainant’s back.
According to the prosecutor, on July 21, 2023, at about 2030 hours, Asamoah asked the victim to go and buy him a mosquito incense.
When the victim returned with the incense, Asamoah began to fondle her and eventually had sex with her.
The victim cried after the sexual act and went to inform her mother about the ordeal.
She told her mother that that was the fifth time that Asamoah had had sex with her.
On July 22, 2023, the complainant reported the incident to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, and she was given a medical report form to take the victim to the hospital for treatment.
Asamoah was arrested after the complainant identified him.
A 32-year-old coconut seller has been sentenced to a 10 year jail term by a Cape Coast Circuit Court for sleeping with a minor.
Emmanuel Ofori, is said to have defiled a 13-year-old girl.
The convict pleaded guilty simpliciter but the court convicted him on his plea as the survivor was a female under the age of 16 years.
The court was presided over by Her Ladyship Veronique Praba Tetteh, who sat as a relieving Judge at the circuit court one.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector John Asare Bediako told the court that the complainant, Madam Debora Kumi, is a farmer and grandmother to the survivor.
He said the survivor and Ofori all lived at Twifo Praso in Twifo Atti-Morkwa district in the Central Region.
Chief Inspector said on Monday, July 17, at about 07:00 hours, Madam Deborah sent the survivor to sell com dough at Twifo Praso Township.
In the process, the survivor met the accused, and under the pretext of buying some of the corn dough, the accused took the survivor to his house.
Ofori lured the survivor into his room, undressed himself, undressed the survivor and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her on the floor.
After the act, Ofori gave her GHC 5.00 to buy food. Survivor after reaching home, revealed the ordeal she had gone through at the hands of Ofori to Deborah.
A case was reported at Twifo Praso Dovvsu by Deborah, leading to the arrest of the Ofori.
Police Medical Report Form was issued to the Ofori to send the survivor to any Government Hospital for Medical examination, treatment and endorsement. The accused was cautioned.
On Tuesday, July 18, Deborah returned the Medical Form from Twifo Praso District Hospital duly endorsed, indicating that the hymen of the survivor was absent.
Ofori was charged with the offence as stated on the charge sheet and arraigned for court
The Court presided over by Her Ladyship Veronique Praba Tetteh convicted Ato Whyte on his own plea of guilty simplisiter to the offence levied against him.
The court, however, went on full trial and found the convict guilty of the offence.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector John Asare Bediako told the court that the complainant Margaret Akula a mother to survivor is a seamstress and lives at Ebubonkor Amissano, a suburb of Cape Coast Metropolis.
The Prosecutor said both survivor and the convict lived in the same vicinity with the complainant.
He said Ato Whyte knows the parents of the survivor and due to this he used to engage the survivor on some household chores for him.
During the month of February, Ato Whyte took undue advantage of the survivor in one of the days, sent her to his room and managed to have sexual intercourse with her and warned her never to inform anybody.
After the first act, Ato Whyte had series of unprotected sexual intercourse with the survivor
About two weeks ago, one Jackline, a teacher in the survivor’s school detected a sign of pregnancy in the survivor and informed the complainant.
The complainant questioned the survivor to that effect and she revealed her ordeal to the complainant as stated above.
Madam Magaret reported the case to DOVVSU-Cape Coast against Ato Whyte. Where Police Medical Report Form was issued to the complainant to send the survivor to any Government Hospital for counseling, examination, treatment and report which she did.
It also came to light that the survivor is currently carrying 5 months old pregnancy as a result of the sexual assault.
The accused was arrested, cautioned and after investigations, charged with the offence before this honourable court.
A KG2 pupil, whose identity is being withheld, from Twifo Ampekro in the Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira District of the Central Region, is battling for survival after reportedly being sexually assaulted by a self-proclaimed Mallam called John Afedzi, also known as A.T
Sarah Antwi, the victim’s mother, told the media that she noticed significant changes in her daughter’s walking pattern.
Because the child cried profusely whenever she urinated, she performed a body examination on the victim and suspected the minor had been defiled.
According to Sarah Antwi, she immediately informed the Twifo Ampekro Shed unit committee of the situation.
Following extensive investigations by the unit committee, Mallam’s name was revealed as allegedly defiling the minor.
The victim’s parents took her to the Twifo Praso district hospital, where it was also determined that she had been defiled.
According to the victim’s mother, as a result of this, her child is now unable to walk, eat, and is constantly wearing pampers, and, most importantly, experiences severe pains when urinating.
Hemang police are currently investigating the incident in the Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira district.
A Circuit Court at Dormaa-Ahenkro in the Dormaa Central Municipality of Bono Region has sentenced Stephen Owusu, a 40-year-old unemployed, 15 years in hard labour (IHL) for defiling a 12-year-old girl.
Owusu pleaded guilty to a charge of defiling a minor.
Detective Chief Inspector (D/C Inspt.) Timothy Ahiaduvor, the prosecutor told the Court presided by Osei Kofi Amoako, Esq. that the complainant, a project officer of Schaefer Child Development Centre, a non-governmental organisation based at Dormaa-Ahenkro, while the victim is vulnerable to the care of the complainant.
He said in the afternoon of Monday, June 12, 2023, when the victim was returning from an errand, the convict met her on the way and sent her to buy a ball of kenkey for him, but the victim returned to inform the convict that there was no kenkey.
D/C Inspt. Ahiaduvor said when the victim wanted to give back the cash of GhC10.00 to buy the kenkey, the convict held her hands, lured her into his room, removed her panties and sexually assaulted her.
The prosecutor said when the convict was satisfied, he asked the victim to go with the GhC10.00 as compensation, adding that later the victim reported the incident to the project officer who brought her to the Police Station and reported the case.
D/C Inspt. Ahiaduvor stated the victim was arrested and during interrogation, he admitted the offence.
A Sogakope Circuit Court has sentenced a 27-year-old junior high school teacher at Lume Ahugakope MA Basic School in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region to seven years in prison for defiling a 13-year-old pupil.
Mensah Believe, the defendant, admitted guilt to the crimes of defiling a child under the age of 16 and sodomy during his court appearance on Wednesday. Mensah Believe teaches English and information and communication technology (ICT).
Detective Chief Inspector Joseph Ajongbah, the prosecuting officer, testified before the court, which was presided over by Mr. Joseph Mark Ali, that Mr. Mensah, a trained teacher and a native of Dzodze, was involved in sexual activity with a 13-year-old male student at the same school.
Mr Ali, the Sogakope Circuit Court Judge, after hearing the plea of the accused, convicted and sentenced him to hard labour on his plea of guilty.
The convict, the Ghana News Agency learned, initially denied the allegations after he was reported to the Akatsi South Education Directorate for questioning.
The case was subsequently reported to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Akatsi Police, where he confessed to having engaged in the act.
Mr Prosper Agbeli, Chairman of the Akatsi South and North Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), on his part, has since condemned the act.
He, however, appealed to authorities in the area to engage the Association in all teacher-related issues.
Stephen Aidoo, a 36-year-old farmer has been jailed 15 years for defiling his 13-year-old biological daughter by the Cape Coast Circuit Court.
He pleaded guilty simpliciter to two offenses of defilement and incest and further told the Court that he had had sex with the daughter only two times.
The court presided over by Her Ladyship Dorinda Smith -Arthur found Aidoo guilty and convicted him on his own plea.
The court sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment for defilement and five years for incest but the sentence would run concurrently.
Prosecuting Chief Inspector John Asare Bediako told the court that complainant Elizabeth Akyerefi is mother of the 13-year-old girl whilst Aidoo is the father; all residing in the same village.
He said 12 years ago, Elizabeth and Aidoo separated leaving their daughter in the care of Elizabeth (her mother).
Chief Inspector Asare Bediako added that eight years later, Aidoo took custody of their daughter and for about a year, Aidoo has forcefully been abusing her sexually on numerous occasions.
Aidoo, however, warned his daughter to never disclose to anyone or he will disgrace her until the abuse became unbearable.
The Prosecutor said two weeks ago, the 13-year-old daughter who could not bear the situation left home and narrated it to her mother.
On May 17, a formal report was made at the Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), Twifo Praso, and a police medical form was issued for her examination.
The report after the examination showed that her hymen was absent indicating several sexual intercourses.
Inspector Asare Bediako said the Police upon the report invited and arrested Aidoo, where he admitted the offense and was arraigned before court.
A 63-year old farmer will spend the next ten years in jail for defiling a seven (7) year old girl.
This is after a Cape Coast Circuit Court sentenced the man, Joseph Begyina to ten years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling the girl.
Esther Duodu, a class three pupil of Nyamebekyere D/C Basic School resides with her father, Yaw Duodo and family at Assin Bereku Nyamebekyere.
Prosecuting Chief Inspector Gilbert Adongo narrated to the court presided over by Her Ladyship Dorinda Smith-Arthur that 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.
According to him, on Saturday, April 29, at about 03:00 hours 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.
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.
Prosecution added 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.
Begyina in his caution statement admitted having sexual intercourse with Esther and pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted on his plea by the court.
A medical form was issued for Esther’s examination and treatment and after careful investigation, Joseph Begyina was charged with the offense to stand trial.
A driver who allegedly defiled a 13-year-old has been granted bail to the tune of of GHS 100,000 with four sureties by the Tarkwa circuit court.
Anthony Cobbina alias Kabi, 41, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement and the case was adjourned to Friday, April 28, 2023.
The prosecutor, Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, told the court presided over by Mrs Hathie Ama Manu that the complainant, is the mother of the victim and both live at Brenuakyim in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality where she operated a drinking bar.
She said Cobbina, who also resides in the same neighbourhood, is a friend and regular customer of the complainant.
In March, last year, the prosecution said the accused started making sexual advances towards the victim who usually assisted the mother in the bar after school.
Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said in the same month the complainant travelled to Wassa Nkran in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality and left the victim in the care of her aunt.
According to the prosecutor, while she was away, the accused took advantage and fondled the victim’s breasts and buttocks at the bar. The victim who was unhappy threatened to inform the complainant when she returned from her trip, but the accused warned her to remain silent or else he would kill her.
On another occasion, Superintendent Essel-Dadzie informed the court that Cobbina demanded to have sex with the victim in the bar and promise to buy her a mobile phone and laptop, but she resisted.
The accused person, she said became offended, pulled a small knife to stab the victim and assaulted her sexually.
The prosecution said on December 26, last year, the complainant was celebrating her birthday, decided to dine with the family at Classlink Hotel in Tarkwa and therefore invited the accused person to join them.
She further said, while swimming in a pool, Cobbina allegedly inserted his fingers into the victim’s vagina and also forcibly had sexual intercourse with her in the hotel.
Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the accused person was not satisfied with the sexual advances, in January, this year, went to the complainant’s drinking bar, lured the victim behind a fridge and had sex with her.
The prosecution said the complainant recently detected changes in the victim’s mood and when she confronted her, she said Cobbina had been having sexual intercourse with her.
She said the complainant reported the incident to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Tarkwa and a medical report form was issued to the complainant to send the victim to the hospital.
The victim was examined, and the form was endorsed by a medical officer at the Apinto Government Hospital.
The prosecution said Cobbina was therefore picked up by the police and he admitted the offence in his caution statement.
A farmer who defiled a 12-year-old girl at Tabakrom in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in hard labour by a Tarkwa Circuit Court.
Richard Kofi Asante, charged with defilement pleaded not guilty to the offence.
At the end of the trial, the court presided over by Madam Hathie Ama Manu, found Asante guilty and convicted him accordingly.
Prosecuting, Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, said the complainant was a farmer residing at Tabakrom with his wife and the victim, whilst Asante also live in the same vicinity.
She said on November 20, 2022, at about 0930 hours, the convict went to the complainant’s house to buy cassava, but on his arrival, the complainant’s wife informed him they had none in stock in the house.
Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the complainant’s wife who was with the victim asked Asante to wait in her house so she could dash to the farm and harvest some of the cassava for him.
She said the complainant’s wife after a while returned from the farm with the cassava and sold some to the convict on credit and he left.
The prosecution said the victim then informed her mother that Asante forcibly had sexual intercourse with her on their veranda while she was away.
Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the victim’s mother informed the complainant who reported the incident to the Police in Prestea where a medical report form was issued to the complainant to seek medical care for the victim.
She said Asante was arrested and during interrogation, he admitted the offence in his cautioned statement.
A 21-year-old driver’s mate has been slapped with an eight-year jail sentence by an Accra Circuit Court for having sex with a 13-year-old girl in two different guest houses in Accra.
Absalon Toboase, charged with two counts of defilement, pleaded not guilty.
The court presided over by Christina Cann at the end of the trial found him guilty.
The court said in sentencing Toboase, it considered the intrinsic seriousness and the gravity of the offence.
According to the court, it also considered the fact that the accused person had had no brush with the law.
The prosecution led by Superintendent of Police Agnes Boafo said the complainant is a trader residing at Mamprobi in Accra.
She told the Court that the victim stays with the complainant. Toboase was also residing at Lapaz in Accra.
The prosecution said Toboase and the victim who met on Facebook, had been friends for some time.
It said about a month ago, Toboase lured the victim with a love proposal on the social media site and arranged to meet her at Lapaz.
The prosecution said on January 7, 2023, Toboase met the victim, took her to a guest house, had sex with her and promised to marry her.
It said on the night of February 3, 2023, the victim packed some of her belongings, sneaked out of the complainant’s house and went to stay with Toboase.
The prosecution said the following the day, the victim arrived at Lapaz and met Toboase who took her to another guest house and had sex with her for the second time.
It said the complainant reported the absence of the victim from her house to the Police.
At the Police Station, the prosecution said the complainant received a call from the victim who informed her that she was at Mamprobi with Toboase.
It said the Police accompanied the complainant to Mamprobi and Toboase was arrested.
The prosecution said a Police medical report form was given to the complainant to seek medical care for the victim.
A 30-year-old farmer has been sentenced to 12 years in prison with hard labor by the Bibiani Circuit Court, presided over by His Lordship Caleb Abbaido, for defiling a minor.
At Sehwi Kwame Tawiakrom, close to Sehwi Debiso in the Bia West District of the Western North Region, the suspect had unlawful carnal knowledge of the eight-year-old girl.
He admitted guilt and was charged accordingly.
Chief Inspector Agyeman Benjamin, the prosecuting attorney, said to the court that on January 16, 2023, around 2:00 pm, the convict, Kwadwo Asare, departed home for some work on his farm, which is close to the victim’s home.
Upon getting to the victim’s residence, he called the eight-year-old girl to accompany him to his farm and collect something for her mother. When both got to a nearby cocoa farm, Mr Asare forcefully grabbed the victim, removed her pant and had sexual intercourse with her on the ground.
He threatened to kill the bleeding victim should she reveal the ordeal to her parents, which she complied.
However, the victim could not walk properly for days which attracted the attention of her father, Kwabena Asiamah, to check what was happening to her daughter. In the process, the victim’s father found some unusual fluid in the pant and vagina of his daughter.
It was during interrogations the victim disclosed that suspect Mr Asare forcibly had sexual intercourse with her in a cocoa farm.
The incident was reported to the police at Adjofua subsequently, the suspect was arrested.
A police medical report form was issued for the victim to undergo a medical examination which indicated that there was hymen laceration.
Kobina Appiah, 32, is wanted by the DOVVSU’s Agona Swedru Division for allegedly defiling and impregnating his two nieces.
The victims’ mother, Afua Yeboah, claims that the suspect, a bamboo salesman, seduced and intoxicated the two victims, who were 14 and 16, on two separate occasions, and then had sex with both of them.
Both Benkumhene of Agona Nyarkrom and Nana Owiro XIV, the regent of Agona Abodom, confirmed the incident and said they will do all it takes to help the police catch the perpetrator.
Also, he promised that because the kids are currently experiencing emotional pain, their top concern will be to safeguard them.
A police officer has admitted to touching the breast of a 14 year old girl who was allegedly defiled.
When G/CPL Emmanuel Duah, 46, appeared before a Ho Circuit Court on February 1, 2023, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement.
The accused is standing trial for allegedly defiling a class five pupil, now 14, at Ave-Xevi in the Akatsi North District on September 29, 2021, in a yet-to-be-commissioned police station while on duty there.
The court heard that the accused, a police officer popularly known as Bob Marley, requested from the victim who had gone to fetch rain water from a silver basin at the frontage of the police station to go buy him water, a request the victim declined and insisted on going to first inform her parent before she could run the errand for the accused.
The court was told, “the accused person then took the basin from her and forcibly held her hands, covered her mouth and carried her into one of the rooms at the police station and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her.”
The prosecution also told the court that, G/CPL Emmanuel Duah in a caution statement taken at the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Tongu Division in Sogakope, when he was first arrested, admitted that “he held the hand and touched the breast of the victim” but denied having sex with her.
The prosecution has since filed the weighing card and a medical report of the tests conducted on the victim on the night of the incident in the case docket.
Upon taking a plea from the accused, the court granted him a GHS50,000 bail with two sureties; one of whom must be a public servant is expected to reappear in court on February 22, 2023.
Francis Dzata, a 30-year-old farmer has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for defiling a 13-year-old class four pupil.
The convict, who appeared before the Hohoe Circuit Court on August 17, last year, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Dzata was found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment accordingly.
Chief Inspector Charles Aziati, Prosecuting, told the Court presided over by Mr Michael Johnson Abbey that the complainant, who is a farmer, is the biological mother of the victim.
He said the convict, a resident farmer at Tafi Atome hailed from Kadar, Togo.
Chief Inspector Aziati said on June 6, 2021, at about 1400 hours, the victim attended to nature’s call at her school latrine at Tafi Atome.
He said when the victim was cleaning herself after using the latrine, the convict, who was sitting under a mango tree close to the latrine, suddenly pounced on her.
He said the convict pushed the victim onto the floor and forcibly defiled her and warned them never to disclose the act to anybody, but the victim reported the incident to her mother as soon as she got home.
He said the complainant subsequently informed a former Unit Committee Chairman who was a witness in the case about the incident and he organised some of the town folks to arrest the convict at the Golokuati Police Station with a formal complaint.
Chief Inspector Aziati said a Police Medical Report form was issued to send the victim to the hospital for examination and treatment.
He said the endorsed medical form confirmed a broken hymen, laceration of the vaginal wall and bleeding to attest to forceful penetration, hence, the jail sentence.
Volta region has seen a decline in rape and defilement cases in 2022 as against 2021.
The region recorded 31 and 39 rape and defilement cases in 2022 as against 49 and 136 in 2021, respectively.
There was also a decrease in abduction, non-maintenance, and assault cases in the year under review, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Juliana Mawusi Yuiah, Deputy Coordinator of Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Volta Regional Police Command, has disclosed.
DSP Yuiah who made the disclosure at an end-of-year Volta Child Protection Committee meeting said the reduction in the cases was due to the education carried out by the Unit and that there were plans to intensify the education this year.
The Coordinator said apart from receiving and investigating cases of abuse against children, they also undertook sensitisation activities, especially in schools to educate the pupils and students on sexual-related abuses.
She said the engagement was targeted at both Primary and Junior High students to educate them on the common ploys adopted by perpetrators to abuse or exploit them so they would be vigilant to avoid falling prey to their stratagem.
DSP Yuiah said the consequences of rape and defilement were dire, hence, the education was also aimed to empower and encourage the students to come out boldly to report such cases to the appropriate authorities for proper handling.
“Schools visited in the year under review included Philip Akpo R.C Junior High School, Ho Kpodzi Basic Schools, Mawuli Primary, Dora Memorial School complex, Holy schools and Junior high schools, UHAS Basic schools, Islamic Basic School, 66 Artillery Basic Schools, Henry House Basic School,” she said.
DSP Yuiah said some parents and guardians were also sensitised during Parent Teacher Association meetings on their roles in providing for their children, especially the girl child so they would not fall prey to unscrupulous men.
On challenges facing the Unit, she said, the Unit was faced with several challenges including lack of means of transport to move swiftly on cases, visit scenes of crimes to pick vital evidence on time and make follow-ups on cases.
There was also a lack of funds to support victims of abuse, especially rape and defilement victims who were extremely poor and cannot afford to pay their medicals to facilitate investigations, she added and appealed for support.
Alfred Dzikunoo, Programmes Coordinator, Plan International Ghana, said some selected youth in their operational communities and districts have been trained on how to demand accountability from their respective assemblies.
Madam Emily Adevor, Partnership Facilitator, Compassion International Ghana, Adaklu-Agotime Cluster, said they implemented several activities in 2022 in safeguarding the rights of children and promoting their welfare.
She said one of their major focus in the year under review was protecting children against social, psychological, and emotional insecurity and distress, noting that a lot of children suffered such insecurities but not much has been done in that regard to addressing them.
Madam Adevor said they also intensified education on abuses including physical and sexual in all their operational areas including churches to draw their attention to the need to protect children against all forms of abuse.
A teacher who was wrongfully imprisoned for defiling a student has recounted his ordeal.
According to Maxwell Benneh, the terrible incident happened while he was working as a teacher in Takoradi, in the Western Region.
He had only been attending the school for one month when he was dragged to the police station early one morning while preparing for the end-of-term exam.
His seven-month struggle reached a breaking point when it was learned at the police station that a defilement complaint had been lodged against him.
Maxwell Benneh claims that after entering a not guilty plea at trial, the matter dragged on for seven months with him in custody.
“A month into my arrival in the school, we were getting ready for exams so I had submitted the questions for the exam. I was in the office when two ladies and a guy came ordering me to get into a waiting taxi to the police station. When we got to the station, they told me I had defiled one of the students.
“It wasn’t true because I had just arrived at the school and didn’t know a lot about the children. This particular girl was in class five and I was handling primary 4. I knew her face but didn’t know her name. The story was sent to DOVVSU and we went to court. It happened in 2015. I was charged with defilement and I pleaded not guilty. The trial took seven months and I was on remand throughout the period. She claims I defiled her in the school’s urinal during extra class hours,” he narrated to Takoradi-based Connect FM.
Maxwell Benneh was sentenced to twenty imprisonment despite being innocent of the charges.
“The judgement came in July 2016 and the court handed me a 20-year sentence. I raised my hand and told the judge that it is not true but the judge said that I could appeal. I don’t know why the judge sentenced me. I was lucky to have the proceedings of the Circuit Court,” he said.
Six years into his 20-year jail term, he successfully appealed the sentence through private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu at the Sekondi High Court.
His application was upheld and he was released from prison. He is grateful to God and Martin Kpebu who he says trusted him to fight his case for him.
“I was in Nsawam for some time. There was a CID officer who was not happy with the whole thing. I had a lady friend and I told her to send my document to Martin Kpebu. I knew Kpebu from the media and I felt he was a good lawyer. I told him that I was innocent and wanted him to challenge the case. By the time I got to find Kpebu I had already spent six years. The High Court ruled that I was innocent and that I should have never been jailed,” he said.
He served a word of advice to all men and asked them to be careful with passing sexually suggestive remarks about the ladies in the form of jokes.
A Nigerian Signwriter who abducted a 14-year-old girl and defiled her has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Gender Based Violence Court at the Police Headquarters, Accra.
Efe James Edema, 19, charged with defilement and abduction, pleaded guilty.
The court presided over by Mrs Abena Amponsah Boansi convicted Edema on his own plea.
Prosecution led by Inspector Opoku Aniagyei narrated that the complainant was the father of the victim.
Inspector Aniagyei said the complainant resided at Ayikuma together with the victim and that the accused resided at Nungua.
The prosecution said last year Edema went to work at Ayikuma and befriended the complainant and the family.
It said, however, during September 10, this year, the accused, now convict, informed the complainant that his work had ended at Ayikuma, and that he would be returning to Nungua.
To the surprise of the complainant, the prosecution said the complainant in the evening of September 10, this year, realised that the victim was no where to be found after Edema had left.
It said the complainant went round in search of the victim but to no avail.
The prosecution said the complainant, therefore, reported the matter to the Police at Ayikuma on September 11, 2022.
It said the complainant then posted the pictures of the victim on the status of his phone and other social media platforms.
Afterwards, the prosecution said the complainant was informed by his brothers at Nungua that, they had seen a girl who resembled the victim in the company of Edema.
The prosecution told the court that the complainant asked his brothers to snap pictures of the accused and the victim and send same to him (the complainant).
When the pictures of the victim and Edema were sent to the complainant, he identified the victim.
The prosecution said the complainant went to the Nungua Police Station with an Extract of Occurrence from Ayikuma Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit for assistance.
It said Edema was nabbed by the Police and the complainant was issued with a medical report to send the victim to the hospital for examination.
A full medical report on the victim was submitted to the Police.
From the year 2021 till date, 15 applications from couples seeking to adopt children have been forwarded to the department of Social Welfarein Volta Region, however only one has recieved approval.
Speaking in an interview last wednesday, the Regional Director of Social Welfare, Mrs Stella Mawusi Mawutor, disclosed that people are beginning to understand adoption because only 10 applications were received in 2020.
“I think people are now beginning to have a better understanding of child adoption and so they are coming forward readily to apply for it,†she added
She described the trend as phenomenal, saying the applications were not only from married couples without children but also from couples with children.
On child protection,Mrs Mawutor said the department last year received 1, 471 reports of child protection violations in the region out of which 953 were resolved.
The figure for 2020,she said, were 1,160 cases out of which 869 were resolved.
The cases included denial of paternity, child custody dispute, defilement and forced marriage.
They also involved gender-based violence, child abandonment, stranded children and adolescent pregnancies.
In some instances, the affected children were taken into foster care, she explained.
“So far, we have trained 26 individuals in the region as foster parents to cater for and protect such children, the director said.
She said the department would team up with the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) and other stakeholder organisations to resolve the pending cases.
Mrs Mawutor said 81 of the pending cases were before the law courts.
Queen-mothers of Ayawaso North Constituency have called on parliamentarians, assemblymen and community leaders to desist from acting as middlemen and bailing accused persons of defilement and rape cases for fear of losing votes.
Hajia Rukaya Suleiman, the Kotokoli Queen-mother, said the act was putting their efforts in vain and the perpetrators made to escape the law at the mercy of the victims.
The Queen-mother made the call during an educational campaign organised by Inerela Ghana, a nongovernmental organisation for the people of Maamobi a suburb of Accra.
She said this was a criminal offence punishable by law but the constant bailing of the accused by powers-that-be did not serve as a deterrent to others, thereby, causing the number of rape and defilement cases to increase in the Constituency.
Hajia Rukaya called for the collaboration between queen mothers, the Police, and non-governmental organizations to educate the youth in the area to help reduce such cases.
Participants were educated on Sexual- based Violence Against Women & Girls (VAW/G), laws pertaining to domestic violence, child marriage and the need for counseling.
Mrs Pauline L. Essel, Deputy Chief Investigator, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and License Counselor, educated the people on the various forms of abuse and the need to look out for the signs when the need be.
She urged women not to allow themselves to be abused in any manner as it was not good for their health.
Lawyer Cephas Essiful Ansah, CHRAJ Legal Officer and Board Member of Inerela Ghana taking participants through portions of the 1992 constitution, the Criminal Offences Act 1960, and the Children’s Act Domestic charged them to feel empowered by these laws and report any form of abuse meted out to them.
Participants were also educated on the mandate of the Domestic Violence Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU)to enable them to take advantage of it.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ms Mavis Adjei, Nima Divisional Head of DOVVSU in a presentation said women and girls were the most affected by acts of domestic violence due to ill-treatment in marriages.
She said domestic violence refers to physical, sexual and psychological acts which occur in families including; battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, marriage-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices that were harmful to women.
ASP Adjei urged women to report any form of abuse to the DOVVSU to make the accused persons face the full rigour of the law.
Mrs Mercy Acquah-Hayford, the Country Coordinator of Inerela Ghana, explained that the engagement followed a previous meeting with the community leadership to find a lasting solution to the high rate of domestic violence in the community.
It was also to encourage and empower the women to report abuse cases to the Police.
She said victims of abuse were discouraged and frightened from reporting cases of domestic and sexual violence to the Police due to reverence given to their men, somehow due to suppression.
Inerela Ghana is a non-governmental organization that works with a network of religious leaders living with HIV that empowers themselves and others to live positively and openly as agents of hope and change in and beyond their faith communities.
An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 53-year-old Trader to 15 years imprisonment for defiling his wife’s 12-year-old niece at Afuaman near Ablekumah in the Greater Accra Region.
This was after the Court presided over by Mrs Christina Cann, found Amadu Moro guilty on the charge of defilement.
Handing the sentence, the Court said it found the accused guilty, following the perusal of the evidence on record, careful consideration of the charge, exhibits and the applicable law.
According to the Court, it also considered the intrinsic seriousness of the offence, degree of revulsion and the premeditation.
The facts of the prosecution led by Inspector Opoku Aniagyei are that the complainant is a housewife, and the victim is the complainant’s niece.
Inspector Aniagyei said Moro is the husband of the complainant and they both resided at Mahean Afuaman in the Greater Accra Region.
During the month of October 2021, one night, the complainant woke up to urinate and to her surprise, she saw accused having sexual intercourse with the victim.
Prosecution said the complainant later reported the matter to the Police at Nima and a medical form was issued to the complainant to seek medical treatment for the victim.
The prosecutor said the accused was nabbed by the Police, but he denied the offence in his caution statement.
When the Police medical report was received it indicated that the victim had been defiled.
A painter, who defiled his girlfriend’s 13-year- old daughter, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by an Adentan Circuit Court.
Fred Acquaye, 54, is said to have defiled the victim on two occasions after his girlfriend had gone to church. Â
Charged with defilement, Acquaye pleaded guilty with explanation.
He said he went to pour water on the victim in the bathroom when she told him she was feeling warm. Â
On the second occasion, Acquaye said he could not tell what happened before he had sex with the girl. Â
The court, presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Balokah, held that the accused’s explanation confirmed his guilt. Â
Prosecuting, Inspector Gloria Ayim said the complainant, 32-year-old businesswoman, resided at Odumase Krobo with the victim, a Junior High School student. Â
She said in December 2021, the victim visited her mother at Amanfrom while on vacation and met the accused, now convict, as the boyfriend of her mother. Â
It said the victim, after spending her vacation at her mother’s place, returned to Odumase Krobo. Â
The complainant noticed some changes on her and when she quizzed her, victim informed complainant that it was Acquaye who had sex with her on two occasions while her mother had gone to church. Â
Prosecution said Acquaye, after the act, warned the girl not to tell anyone else she would die. Â
It said a report was made to the police and a medical form was issued to her to seek medical attention. Â
Prosecution said a pregnancy test was conducted and it came out positive.  Additionally, on March 6, 2022, a scan was conducted, which indicated the victim was nine weeks and a day pregnant. Â
Acquaye was arrested and he admitted the offence in his charge statement.
Cape Coast Circuit Court has sentenced to 18 years a 42-year-old driver for defiling a nine-year-old girl.
The convict, Joseph Annan pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement and begged for leniency from the court presided over by Mrs Dorinda Smith Arthur, who convicted him on his own plea.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Samuel Reynolds Amoako, told the court that, Mr Joseph Andrews, father of the victim, lives in the same vicinity with the convict at Brofoyedur, a suburb of Cape Coast.
He said on Thursday, August 5, 2020, while the victim was playing around in the house, the convict lured her into his room under the guise of sending her and had sexual intercourse with her putting her in severe pains for the fourth time, investigations later revealed.
The prosecution said the convict threatened to kill the victim if she let out a word about the incident.
He said, however, a neighbour who saw the victim sneaking out of Annan’s room questioned her of which she narrated her ordeal to the neighbour.
Mr Amoako said the neighbour informed Andrews who is the complainant who in turn reported the matter to the Police in Cape Coast where Annan was arrested.
The Bekwai Circuit Court in Ashanti Region presided over by His Honour Mark Diboro has jailed 38-year-old Collins Sarfo to 20 years imprisonment for an attempt to have anal sex with a 16-year-old boy.
The complainant in the case is the assembly member for Fomena Electoral Area while the victim and the convict, a mason all live in the electoral area.
The Prosecutor Detective Sergeant Isaac Ofori Mensah told the court that, two weeks ago, while the victim was assisting the attendant at the public lavatory facility in the community, the convict approached the victim to solicit anal sex with him but was turned down.
The convict pestered the victim and promised to give him money ostensibly to entice him.
The victim told his senior brother about his encounter.
On October 10, 2021, at about 8:00 am, the convict went to the victim again, lured him, and removed his penis for the 16-year-old to suck.
The victim became scared and escaped from him but the convict pursued him to a nearby plantain farm and attempted to entice the victim with a total of Ghc30 if he agreed.
The convict left and told the victim that he will be back in the evening.
The senior brother of the victim informed the assembly member who together with some members of the unit committee and the neighbourhood watchdog committee laid an ambush.
At about 9:00 pm, the convict appeared at the public lavatory facility as promised, the victim pretended to have agreed to his demand.
The victim took the accused to the chamber of the lavatory facility but was arrested by the people who had laid ambush shortly after he went half-naked, removed the penis, and attempted to have anal sex with the victim.
He was handed over to the Police. A Ghc10 used to lure the victim was retrieved and also given to the police as an exhibit.
After investigation, he was charged on October 20, 2021, with the attempt to commit a criminal offence to wit unnatural carnal knowledge contrary to sections 18 and 104 (1)(a) of the Criminal offences Act which the court found him guilty.
Chiefs who thwart investigations into rape, defilement and other criminal cases and settle them in their palaces will suffer swift and ruthless consequences, DCOP Edward Kwateng, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Volta Regional, has warned.
He made it clear at a Meet-The-Press session in Ho yesterday that chiefs do not have any mandate whatsoever to settle such cases.
The regional police commander also warned pastors who meddled in police investigations to desist from that conduct in their own interest.
DCOP Kwateng revealed that since the beginning of this year, 14 people had been sentenced to a total of 140 years in jail for sex-related offenses in the region while four robbers were caged for a total of 82 years.
Five others convicted of human trafficking have been sentenced to a total of 24 years imprisonment and fines adding up to GH₵ 25,840.
He said that the Volta Regional Police Command was maintaining an uncompromising stance to prevent crime and make the region safe for the people and the business community.
In that vein, the regional police commander said that any individual or group whose unruly conduct disturbed the public peace would be made to face the full rigors of the law.
He said that the Volta Region was one of the peaceful regions in the country and that the police would continue to adopt and implement strategic initiatives at operational and tactical levels of law enforcement to enhance security in the region.
Meanwhile, DCOP Kwateng announced that police officers in the region had benefitted and were still receiving training in the area of high-risk law enforcement while personnel of the Criminal Investigations Department had also trained in crime scene investigations, anti-human trafficking, and cyber-related crimes.
“There is no doubt that the training is manifesting positive results in sensitive criminal cases,†he added.
DCOP Kwateng touched on the recent activities of secessionists in the region and gave the assurance that with the collaboration of other sister security agencies situation was now under control.
He renewed his appeal to the public to promptly volunteer information to the police on suspicious characters to speedy action.
A 41-year-old pastor of the African Faith Tabernacle Church at Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region has been sentenced to 24 years in prison with hard labour for defiling his 14-year-old daughter.
During the judgement on Thursday, September 9, 2021, the pastor, Paul Nkansah, pleaded guilty to the two charges of defilement and incest.
The court presided over by Patricia Amponsah found him guilty on all the two charges.
He was then sentenced to 22 years in prison for defilement and 24 years in prison for incest.
The two sentences will run concurrently.
A 41-year-old pastor of the African Faith Tabernacle Church at Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region has been sentenced to 24 years in prison with hard labour for defiling his 14-year-old daughter.
During the judgement on Thursday, September 9, 2021, the pastor, Paul Nkansah, pleaded guilty to the two charges of defilement and incest.
The court presided over by Patricia Amponsah found him guilty on all the two charges.
He was then sentenced to 22 years in prison for defilement and 24 years in prison for incest.
The two sentences will run concurrently.
During the hearing, the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Regina Oparebea, disclosed that Paul Nkansah was previously jailed for 20 years on a different charge of defilement at Akim Oda, but the sentence was reduced five years after an appeal.
A 24-year-old driver who defiled and impregnated a 14-year-old girl has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court.
Andrew Sam, charged with defilement, pleaded guilty. The victim is said to be six weeks pregnant.
The court presided over by Christiana Cann, convicted Sam on his own plea.
Sentencing Sam, the trial judge said she took into consideration the prevalence of the offence, the age of the victim, and the fact that the victim was pregnant and her education had been truncated.
It also considered the age of the accused his plea of leniency.
The court said the conduct of the accused was undesirable adding that his sentence should serve as a deterrent to like-minded persons.
Prosecuting Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire said the victim is a class six pupil and lives with her parents at Cantonments.
The accused also lives at La Apapa in Accra. During the month of September, this year, Sam lured the victim to accept his love proposal and had sex with her.
The prosecution said the victim later fell sick and was diagnosed at the hospital to be six weeks pregnant.
The prosecution said the victim mentioned accused as the one responsible and accused arrested.
In Sam’s investigation caution statement, he admitted the offence.
A 22-year-old tricycle taxi operator was on Wednesday slapped with a seven-year jail term in hard labour by the Ho Circuit Court for defiling a 14-year-old girl.
Benjamin Amaglo, who was convicted on his own plea of guilty, in his plea for mitigation, told the court that he asked the girl to sleep in his room after the sexual act because it was risky to let her go home alone after midnight.
Police Inspector Clever Ayayee told the court, presided by Mr Felix Datsomor, that the victim lived with her grandmother at Ho-Hliha and often helped her to sell kenkey at a spot where the accused was a regular customer.
According to the prosecution, accused on one of such visits to the spot, proposed an amorous relationship to the girl and she agreed to his request.
The court heard that on July 24, this year, the accused saw the girl at Ho-Ahoe at about 10pm and offered her a ride on his tricycle.
Insp Ayayee said the accused took the girl to a drinking spot and bought a cocktail of Smirnoff and Vody hard liquor for her.
The court heard that accused and the girl remained at the drinking spot until 12.30 am, the following morning, and he took her home at Trafalgar Down and had sex with her.
Insp Ayayee said that when the victim returned home in the morning weak and intoxicated, her grandmother interrogated her, and she narrated the ordeal she went through at the hands of the accused.
Subsequently, the matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of Amaglo.
Passing sentence, the court said that it took into account the fact that Amaglo was a first time offender, and how he readily pleaded guilty to the offence, for which reason it imposed the minimum sentence on him.
A 47-year-old-commercial driver (name withheld) has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly having sex with his 14 years old daughter at Pig Farm, suburb of Accra.
He has, however, denied the charges of defilement and incest.
The Court, presided over by Mrs Christina Cann, has, consequently, admitted him to bail in the sum of GHC60,000.00 with two sureties, one to be justified.
The matter has been adjourned to July 24.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Judith B. Asante said the complainant was a social worker residing in Accra.
The accused, she said, had resided with her daughter since she turned 12, and had since the beginning of the year been having sex with her.
The Prosecution said the victim’s mother, who was not living with them, became suspicious of the abuse and reported the matter to the Department of Social Welfare.
The matter was transferred to the Nima Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit for further investigations, following which he was arrested, while the victim was rescued.
Additionally, the Prosecution said a medical report form was issued to the complainant to send the victim to the hospital for examination and treatment.
Fuseini Issah, 49 is in the grip of the Northern Regional Police Command for allegedly attempting to defile a 12-year-old girl (name withheld) at Nyankpala in the Northern Region.
The Northern Regional Police Crime Officer, Supt. Otuo Acheampong who confirmed the arrest to DGN Online said the incident was reported to the police on June 22 by the father of the victim.
According to him, the victim was on an errand in the area when the suspect called her but she did not oblige.
He indicated that the suspect for a second time called the victim so she went to listen to him.
Supt Acheampong said the suspect asked the girl to into his room for money to buy some items for him. He said immediately the victim entered the room of the suspect, he rushed in and forcibly tried to have carnal knowledge of her.
Narrating further, Supt Otuo Acheampong said after the incident, the suspect told the victim not to tell anybody about it.
“The man gave her GH¢1 and warned her not to disclose anything to anybody .â€
He said the victim started experiencing stomach pains and when she was sent to the hospital by her parents, the doctor revealed to them that the victim confessed to him that a suspect tried to defile her.
“Investigations led to the arrest of the suspect while a medical form was issued to the victim for a gynaecologist to examine her.â€
The Regional Crime Officer disclosed that the suspect has been charged with attempted defilement and will be arraigned before court after investigations.
Meanwhile, the father of the victim (name withheld) told DGN Online that there have been continuous pressure on the family by prominent people in the area to settle the matter out of the police station.
He, however, appealed to the police to ensure that justice was served their daughter.
A 35-year-old electrical mechanic who defiled a 13- year-old girl at Odorkor has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court.
Yaw Oduro charged with defilement pleaded guilty.
The court presided over by Mrs. Christina Cann convicted Oduro on his own plea and sentenced him accordingly.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire said the complainant is a clearing agent who lives with his 13-year old daughter at Odorkor in Accra. He said Oduro also reside in the same neighbourhood.
Chief Inspector Atimbire said during the second week in January 2020, Oduro lured the victim into his room under the pretext of the victim grinding pepper for him, but he ended up having sex with the victim and warned her not tell anyone about the act.
The prosecution said Oduro would always call the victim under the pretext of sending her whenever he feels for sex.
According to prosecution, the complainant was informed of the incident by neighbours and when the victim was questioned she confirmed the same to the complainant.
He said a report was made to the Police and the complainant was given a Police medical report form to send the victim to a hospital for examination and treatment.
The prosecution said when Oduro was arrested he admitted the offence in his cautioned statement.
The Tamale Circuit Court has convicted a 22-year-old man to 12 years imprisonment for defiling three girls on the same day at Mbanaayili, a farming community in the Kumbungu District in the Northern Region.
On March 6, 2018, Shamiku Shiabu — the court was told — held his victims and a fourth girl at gun point in the bush where they had gone to fetch firewood before assaulting the three sexually.
Three of the girls were 14 at the time, while one was 15.
The court heard that on the fateful day, Shiabu appeared from nowhere wielding a short gun as the girls were fetching firewood in the bush. He threatened them and had sex with two of them and inserted his fingers in the vagina of a third girl.
Shiabu has since begun his prison term at the Tamale Central Prisons.
He pleaded not guilty to the counts of defilement, indecent assault and threat of harm, but was found guilty on all the counts by the court presided over by Mr Justice William Twumasi Appiah after two years of full trial.
During the trial, the prosecution called 10 witnesses — including the victims, the medical officer who examined them, and the police investigator — to testify.
Facts
Shaibu, who hails from the Ngaring community that shares boundary with the Mbanaayili community, ordered the girls to strip naked and then threatened that if they did not allow him to have sex with them he would take pictures of their naked bodies with his mobile phone and circulate them on social media.
The victims, the court heard, pleaded with him to allow them to go, but he inserted his fingers in the vagina of one of them and realised that he could not penetrate so he asked her to go, but managed to have sex with two of them in the bush.
The four returned home and informed their parents about their ordeal, and a report was made to the police.
Shaibu was later arrested, and after investigations he was charged with the offences and put before the court, but pleaded not guilty, forcing the case to go for full trial for two years.
A 43-year-old man, Ibrahim Adamu has defiled an eight-year-old girl at a maize farm at Duta, a suburb of Aflao in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region.
The incident which is reported to have occurred about a week ago on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 has infuriated residents who said the act is becoming one too many.
Gabriel Ayitey, the Assembly member of the Duta Electoral area told the media that residents are not only worried by the incident but also angry that such criminal acts continue to jeopardise the lives of young girls in the area.
He alleged that this latest defilement incident is the third this year. In the two previous cases, the culprits for some reason were not prosecuted. Ayitey said his community members suspect there may be some underhand dealings that afford the perpetuators an opportunity to pay their way out of prosecution.
He was hopeful that this incident will take a different turn so that it deters other perpetuators from repeating the life destroying act.
The Public Affairs Officer of the Volta Regional Police Command, Cpl. Prince Dogbatse who confirmed the defilement incident narrated that on that day, the victim was playing with her friends when the accused person, Ibrahim Adamu called her.
He held the hand of the poor girl and took her to a nearby maize farm, undressed her and had sexual intercourse with her.
The girl later reported the incident to the father and on Saturday, May 30, 2020 the suspect who has been identified as a citizen of Niger was arrested.
Medical form was issued to the family to send to the hospital for the victim to be assessed. The medical report proved that indeed the girl had been penetrated.
Suspect, Ibrahim Adamu was subsequently arraigned before the Dzodze Magistrate Court on Monday June 1, 2020 where the case was adjourned to Wednesday June 17, 2020.
Two young men who abducted a four-year-old girl and gang-raped her in turns have found themselves on the wrong side of the law, theghanareport.com has learned.
The two, Jacob Lamptey, 23 who has since been arrested, and Patrick Joseph, who is currently on the Police wanted list are all residents of Glefe in the Ablekuma West Municipality in the Greater Accra Region.
The unemployed men lured the victim with biscuits a few minutes from her residence to an abandoned house in Gbegbeise and defiled the toddler, father of the girl (name withheld), narrated.
The Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Afia Tenge, confirmed the incident to theghanareport.com.
She said the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Dansoman Police received a report of the alleged defilement on Wednesday, May 20.
She said the complainant reported the two suspects for forcibly having sexual intercourse with her daughter and police have issued a medical report to be completed by a doctor after examining the victim.
Jacob has since been put before an Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday, May 26, while police search for Patrick, who is on the run.
The father told theghanareport.com that the suspects executed the operation by covering the mouth of the girl with a white handkerchief believed to contain a substance that made her unconscious and to prevent the baby from crying.
He said one of the suspects stood at the entrance of the abandoned house to keep watch while the other violated the girl. The suspects later swapped positions.
Luck, however, eluded them when the landlady of the abandoned house returned from town.
On spotting one of the accomplice at the entrance of her property, she questioned him. Unable to provide any answers to her questions, the landlady chased him out of the entrance of the house.
As she bypassed to the adjoining building where she resides, she heard strange noises from the abandoned house.
The curious landlady entered the partially dark uninhabited room only to find one of the accomplices standing over the victim who was lying supine on a piece of cardboard with her legs raised in the air.
The Landlady observed rather disturbingly a baby girl of about four years old wearing a straight cream dress with her panties removed and some whitish fluid believed to be semen that had dripped on the floor.
The partially nude suspect quickly pulled up his pants and trousers upon spotting the woman, shoved her aside after a confrontation and bolted, leaving his red and black slippers at the scene.
The landlady took the baby to a nearby information centre for an announcement to locate the parents. The mother of the baby, meanwhile, has been on a search for the toddler since she was abducted by the two suspects. Through some neighbours, the mother of the girl traced her to the information centre and subsequently to a hospital in the neighbourhood.
Jacob, whom the landlady could describe, was hence traced to his house. An uncle of the four-year-old girl handed him over to the Dansoman Police Station.
The father of the victim wants justice to be served. He lamented the pain experienced by his daughter, whom he said had blood clots in her underparts discovered the evening the incident occurred.
The trauma has caused the victim to cease eating biscuits even when offered by her parents as she opts for juice and chocolate instead.
A non-governmental organization, Wawa Project, which seeks to alleviate some burden off the vulnerable and people with disabilities had presented some items to pupils of Kobina Ansa MA basic school in the Mfantseman community.
About 15 pupils benefitted from the package made up of rice, cooking oil, toiletries, sanitizers, nose masks, biscuits, tomato paste and an undisclosed amount of money to help mitigate their plight against the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mission of the Wawa Project is to support the education of vulnerable pupils and later equip them with the needed tools and skills to be fully integrated into their communities after their education.
The goal of the project is to erase perceptions that individuals with disabilities led less fulfilled lives or were less capable of contributing to society.
Presenting the items to the pupils, Mr. Frank Mensah, the assistant head teacher of Kobina Ansa School who also doubles as the Coordinator of the Project, advised the pupils to remain focused in their studies as they waited for schools to reopen.
He urged them to observe all the safety protocols of the COVID-19 to protect themselves from the disease.
Miss Oby Ukadike, Director of programs and development of Wawa Project in her virtual message, prayed that the pandemic will end soon for them to continue with their education.
As part of their services, Wawa Project supply school uniforms for pupils, pay exams fees, medical bills and also feed them breakfast and lunch each day.
They also provide weekly stipend to the disabled pupils.
The Circuit Court in Accra presided over by Her Honour Mrs Christiana Cann has sentenced a mason to 20 years in prison in hard labour for defining his 13-year-old stepdaughter.
Eric Kofitse pleaded guilty for defilement and was convicted on his own plea by the Gender-based Circuit Court.
Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire, the prosecutor in the case while presenting the brief facts to the court said the complainant is a driver, while the accused is a mason.
According to him, the complainant is a driver who lives at Dansoman whilst the accused is a mason and lives at Christian village near Achimota.
Chief Insp. Atimbire said the girl (victim) is 13 years old and class four pupil.
The prosecutor told the court that, the girl lives with the mother and the accused person who is the stepfather.
He said since 2019, the accused person started having sex with the victim anytime the mother left home to trade. The accused persons he said “then threatened her not to tell anyone about it else, he will stab her to death in the night when she was asleep.
According to the prosecutor, “Initially, the girl could not tell anyone for fear of being killed by the accused person.
“When this continued for some time, she managed to inform the mother on three occasions but she (mother) told the daughter she will talk to the husband to stop.
He told the court that, during the early part of March 2020, the accused again had sex with the victim who reported it again to the mother.
“The mother got worried and sent the girl (victim) to her cousin in Nsawam. The victim who could not stand the persistent sexual attacks from her stepfather had to run to her biological father at Dansoman.
“The victim later fell sick while st with her father and was taken to the hospital where medical examination on 17 April 2020 prove she was seven weeks pregnant.â€
It was then she told the father what she went through while she was staying with her mother. A complaint was lodged at the Achimota police station and accused was arrested.
The accused admitted the offence and his caution statements were taken. He was charged and put before the court.
A Circuit Court in Accra presided over by Her Honour Mrs Christiana Cann has sentenced a mason to 20 years in prison with hard labour for defining his 13-year-old stepdaughter.
Eric Kofitse, pleaded guilty for defilement and was convicted on his own plea by the Gender-based Circuit Court.
Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire, the prosecutor in the case while presenting the brief facts to the court said the complainant is a driver, while the accused is a mason.
According to him, the complainant is a driver who lives at Dansoman whilst the accused is a mason and lives at Christian village near Achimota.
Chief Insp. Atimbire said the girl (victim) is 13 years old and a class four pupil.
The prosecutor told the court that, the girl lives with the mother and the accused person who is the stepfather.
He said since 2019, the accused person started having sex with the victim anytime the mother left home to trade. The accused person “then threatened her not to tell anyone about it else, he will stab her to death in the night when she was asleep.â€
According to the prosecutor, “Initially, the girl could not tell anyone for fear of being killed by the accused person.
“When this continued for some time, she managed to inform the mother on three occasions but she (mother) told the daughter she will talk to her husband to stop.
He told the court that, during the early part of March 2020, the accused again had sex with the victim who reported it again to the mother.
“The mother got worried and sent the girl (victim) to her cousin in Nsawam. The victim who could not stand the persistent sexual attacks from her stepfather had to run to her biological father at Dansoman.
“The victim later fell sick while she was with her father and was taken to the hospital where medical examination on 17 April 2020 proved that she was seven weeks pregnant.â€
It was then she told the father what she went through while she was staying with her mother. A complaint was lodged at the Achimota police station and accused was arrested.
Accused admitted the offence. He was charged and put before the court.
A Nigerian judge has again adjourned the case against 47 Nigerian men accused of “public displays of same-sex affection†after the lead witness for the prosecution failed to appear in court.
In Wednesday’s proceedings, Justice Rilwan Aikawa appeared annoyed that the prosecution was again unable to proceed, the BBC’s Mayeni Jones reports from Nigeria.
The case has been adjourned at least three times because of procedural issues, Reuters news agency reports.
The judge warned the prosecution that at the next sitting he would dismiss the case if it was not able to proceed.
The suspects were arrested in an August 2018 police raid on a Lagos hotel. They face a 10-year jail term if convicted, Reuters reports.
