Barber jailed 10 years over sexual abuse

A Circuit Court in Accra has handed down 10 years imprisonment on a 22-year-old Barber for having sex with a 14-year-old girl, at Abeka in Accra.

Yaw Sontah, charged with defilement, pleaded not guilty but the Court after the trial, found him guilty and sentenced him accordingly.

Before being sentenced, Sontah pleaded with the Court to have mercy on him because he was married and had a child.

The Court presided over by Mrs Christiana Cann, noted that the Prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Agnes Boafo, had succeeded in proving the offence of defilement.

Pronouncing the sentence, the Court said it took into consideration the age of the victim, the intrinsic seriousness of the offence and the degree of revulsion felt by the law of abiding citizens.

The Court said Sontah deserved a harsh sentence to serve as deterrent to others.

DSP Boafo, had earlier narrated that the complainant was a businessman residing at Fadama, Accra, and Sontah, a barber residing at Abeka.

The prosecution said on November 1, last year, at about 12:00am, the complainant was returning from work when he saw Sontah and the victim in front of his house.

DSP Boafo said because the time was odd, he questioned Sontah what he was looking for in front of his (complainant) house.

Without answering, the prosecution said Sontah took to his heels but the complainant managed to apprehend him and handed him over to the Police at Kaneshie, Accra.

During investigations, the prosecution said it came to light that Sontah had earlier in the months of July and September last year, lured the victim to his house and had sex with her.

In his statement to the Police during the investigation, Sontah admitted the offence.