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.