Farmer jailed 12 years for defiling 12-year-old girl

A Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced a farmer who molested a 12-year-old girl in Tabakrom in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality to 12 years in jail with hard labor.

Richard Kofi Asante, who was charged with defilement, entered a not-guilty plea.

At the conclusion of the trial, Asante was found guilty and sentenced to prison by the Madam Hathie Ama Manu-presiding court.

According to the prosecutor, Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, the complainant is a farmer who lives in Tabakrom with his wife, the victim, and Asante. Asante also resides nearby.

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.

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