A 23-year-old commercial tricycle (Pragia) rider, Nicholas Adjarlolo, has been handed a seven-year prison sentence by the Odumase-Krobo Circuit Court for defiling a 13-year-old Junior High School student at Sawer, a suburb of Somanya.
The court, presided over by His Honour Kwasi Appiatse Abaidoo, found Adjarlolo guilty of defiling a child under 16 years of age, an offence contrary to Section 101(2) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
Prosecuting the case, ASP Nana Akomeah, the Somanya District Police Commander, told the court that the complainant is a 41-year-old trader and mother of the victim, both residing at Sawer.
According to him, the complainant lodged a formal report with the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service on July 24, stating that her daughter had left the house at around 10:00 p.m. on July 23 and failed to return.
The District Commander explained that the mother subsequently received information indicating that the convict had taken the young girl to his room in the neighbourhood.
Police officers, accompanied by the complainant, moved to the accused person’s residence, where they discovered him inside the room with the victim.
Both individuals were immediately escorted to the police station to assist with investigations.
ASP Akomeah added that a police medical report form was issued for the victim, and subsequent examination by medical doctors confirmed that she had engaged in sexual intercourse.
In his caution statement to the police, the convict confessed to having sexual relations with the minor, claiming she was his girlfriend.
He admitted that they had been dating for roughly two months and acknowledged having intimate relations with her on two separate occasions.
Following investigations, Adjarlolo was formally charged with defilement, put before the court, convicted, and sentenced to seven years in hard labour.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana