An Accra Circuit Court has handed down a twenty-year prison term to an unemployed man, Kwame Mensah for defiling a ten year-old girl in the Achimota Forest Reserve in Accra.
The convict pleaded not guilty, but the court presided over Mrs. Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku found him guilty on the charge of defilement.
Kwame Mensah was arrested by members of the Achimota Forestry Rapid Response Task Force, who chanced upon him, as he was dressing up just after having sexual intercourse with the ten-year-old victim.
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Asked if he had anything to say before the court’s ruling was pronounced, Kwame Mensah prayed the court to tamper justice with mercy and forgive him, saying he was the one taking care of his aging mother.
“I have a son who is currently staying with my mother and I am the one taking care of him. Please forgive me,” he pleaded.
Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agnes Boafo, narrated to the court that, the victim is a class three pupil living with her grandmother at Maamobi, While the convict resides at Adjiringanor, all suburbs of Accra.
The complainant was Mrs. Edith Ansah, the Greater Accra Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission.
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ASP Agnes Boafo said on January 17, this year, at about 10:00 hours, the convict met the victim at her school at Kotobabi and persuaded her to follow him in order to collect some books and pens for her teacher.
She said Mensah managed to lure the victim to board a car with him and took her to the Achimota Forest Reserve. The convict then asked the victim to lie on the floor where he defiled her.
According to the prosecutor, “The girl refused and started crying. Mensah slapped her and pulled out a knife, threatening to kill her if she does not comply. He then had sexual intercourse with her.”
ASP Agnes Boafo further explained that, luck eluded Mensah when he was spotted by the Achimota Forestry Rapid Response Task Force just as he started dressing after the sexual act.
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The convict took to his heels, but was chased up and arrested. He was then sent to Mrs. Ansah, who lodged a complaint with the Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit at Tesano, whilst the victim was given a medical form to seek treatment.
The convict tried to deny the offence, saying that, the Task Force did not arrest him at the Forest as they claimed.
He made a counter claim that he was arrested in front of the victim’s school and was subjected to severe beatings, but police investigations proved otherwise.