Carpenter, 56, face defilement charge

Accra (Greater Accra), 22 March ?99 ?

Hunu Akakpo, a 56-year-old carpenter, on Thursday appeared before an Accra circuit tribunal charged with defiling a 10-year-old school girl. Akakpo, who pleaded not guilty, was granted 20 million cedis bail to reappear on April seven.

Police chief Inspector Benedicta Akolgo told the tribunal, chaired by Mrs Elizabeth Yeboah, that the victim, a pupil of Dome Preparatory School, lives in the same vicinity with the accused.

The prosecution said in May, last year, while the victim was returning from school, the accused lured her into his room and defiled her.

The accused then gave the victim 200 cedis and warned her not to tell her parents about what had happened between them but the parents detected the offence and when confronted , she mentioned the name of the accused, who admitted and pleaded that the matter be settled at home.