An electrician who allegedly lured a 14-year-old girl into a guest house and had sex multiple times with her has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour by the Tarkwa Circuit Court.
Desmond Kwofie, 24, was said to have committed the offence when his wife was pregnant and pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement.
At the end of the full trial Kwofie was found guilty by the court presided over by Hathia Ama Manu and was sentenced accordingly.
Before passing judgement, Mrs Manu asked Kwofie, if he had anything to tell the court, he said: “My lady please temper justice with mercy. I have two children, one is three years old and the other is only four months old, it will be difficult to take care of them while I am away”.
The judge, however, told Kwofie that she would not set him free but instead apply the law to serve as a deterrent to the public.
The complainant, who is 50 years old, the victim’s father and the convict all reside in Tamso-Senyakrom, in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, according to prosecutor Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie.
The prosecutor said on December 2, 2022, the victim suddenly left the house without informing anyone.
She said the complainant, together with the victim’s siblings scouted for her in the neighbourhood for hours but she was nowhere to be found.
Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said on December 3, 2022, the victim was found and when the complainant questioned her, she revealed that Kwofie spotted her at Tamso months ago and proposed love to her and she accepted.
The prosecution said they became friends and because of their relations, the victim visited the convict often in his house.
She said on December 2, 2022, the victim paid her usual visit and Kwofie lured her to Adjeimess guest house in Tarkwa and had sexual intercourse with her.
Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said after the convict had satisfied his sexual desire, he held the victim hostage in the room, had several sessions of sex with her and released her the next day and she went home.
On December 3, 2022, the complainant took the victim to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) office in Tarkwa and reported the case where a police medical form was issued to him to send the victim to the hospital.
She said the complainant returned the form duly endorsed by a medical officer at Apinto Government Hospital.
The prosecution said Kwofie was later arrested by the police to assist investigations and he admitted the offence in his caution statement given in the presence of an independent witness.