A 39-year-old farmer, who defiled a six-year-old girl, at Dompim-Pepesa, in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, has been sentenced to 21 years imprisonment in hard labour by the Tarkwa Circuit Court.
Samuel Attomoh, who was charged with defiling a female below age, admitted the crime.
He pleaded guilty and asked for mercy when he appeared before the court, presided over by judge (Mrs) Hathia Ama Manu.
Attomoh said “l did not know what came over me to have committed the offence,” but the court convicted him on his own plea, and sentenced him.
Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, prosecuting, said the complainant, Comfort Adjei, a trader, lived with the victim at Dompim-Pepesa.
The prosecution said Attomoh, who lived in the same neighborhood with the victim, was a friend to grandparents of the girl.
Sup Essel-Dadzie said the complainant traveled to Mankesim, in the Central Region, and left the victim and her siblings in the care of their uncle.
The court heard that Attomoh went to visit his friends, but he instead met the victim and her siblings playing.
Sup Essel-Dadzie said Attomoh took advantage of the situation, lured the victim to the back of the house and defiled her.
The prosecution said when a bystander saw Attomoh defiling the girl, he (Attomoh) fled and went into hiding.
Sup Essel-Dadzie said the victim reported her ordeal to complainant, when she returned from her journey.
The court heard that the complainant reported the incident to the police and they (police) issued her with a medical form to take the victim to the hospital for medical attention and report.
Sup Essel-Dadzie told the court that the complainant returned the medical form that was endorsed by a medical officer at the Apinto Government Hospital, to the police.
The court heard that the medical form indicated that the girl was defiled. —GNA