Apprentice tailor jailed seven years for defilement

The Tema Circuit Tribunal was yesterday besieged by a large crowd of people anxious to catch a glimpse of a man who defiled an eleven-year-old girl at Ashaiman, crippling her as a result. Seth Zentah, an apprentice tailor, pleaded guilty with explanation and was subsequently sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by the panel chairman, Mr R.C. Azumah, on his own plea.

The victim was admitted at the Tema General Hospital for 25 days starting from December 25, 1998, and discharged but she was re-admitted yesterday due to the seriousness of her condition. A medical report signed by Dr B.K. Forkuoh, a gynaecologist, stated that the victim suffered pelvic deformation as a result of sexual assault.

It said the girl can neither walk nor lie down due to over-stretching of the hip. Mr Michael Yirenkyi, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), told the tribunal that on December 25, 1998, at Ashaiman, the victim was sent by her aunt to sell some doughnuts. On her return home at about 6.30 p.m., the accused invited her to buy some of the doughnuts. He indicated that he wanted to buy all the doughnuts but requested the victim to buy him some iced water. On her return, she noticed that the accused had taken the doughnuts into his room and asked her to follow him to collect her money. Thereafter, he placed her on the bed, tied her two legs widely open to some points, covered her mouth with a rag and forcibly and indecently assaulted her. ASP Yirenkyi said the accused did the act twice with the girl struggling with him. After that, he warned her never to disclose it to anybody else she would die. At home, the victim never told her aunt but her uneasiness betrayed her and, upon pressure, she revealed the incident to her aunt who accompanied her to the accused house and pointed him out.