Cobbler sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for defilement

A 21-year-old cobbler convicted for defiling and impregnating a 13-year-old girl has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour by the Juaso Circuit Court in the Asante-Akim South District.

Kofi Boamah caused laughter in court when he prayed the court for leniency and shouted: “I would take good care of the pregnancy”.

He pleaded guilty to the offence and the Court presided over by Mr. Yussif Assibey convicted him on his own plea.

Police Detective Chief Inspector Birikorang Peasah, prosecuting, told the Court that convict sexually abused the victim after doping her with a drink laced with an unknown substance which induces sleep.

He said the complainant was an uncle of the victim and they lived together at Adomfe, in the Asante-Akim South District, where the convict also resided.

The prosecution said on November 30, last year, one Mariama engaged the convict and the victim to pluck some oranges for a fee.

He said in the course of doing the task, the convict proposed love to the victim but she rejected this reminding him that she was a juvenile.

The prosecution said on December 2, at about 2100 hours, the convict again went to the house of the victim to continue to convince her to yield to his love proposal, but he was sacked by a witness in the case.

He said about one and half hours later that same night, the convict returned to the victim’s house with a rush energy drink and gave it to the victim.

Mr Peasah said after taking the drink, she became drowsy and the convict succeeded in leading her to his room where he had several bouts of sex with her.

The Prosecution said next day at about 0300 hours, convict woke the victim up and asked her to go home and on her way, she noticed that some semen was trickling down her thighs, but kept this to herself.

Detective Chief Inspector Peasah told the Court that the victim just recently discovered that she was pregnant and informed one of his uncles who lodged a formal complaint to the Bompata Police.

He said a medical report form was issued to the victim for examination at a hospital and was returned duly endorsed, confirming that she was three months pregnant.

He said the convict was later arrested where he admitted the offence in his caution statement and was subsequently charged.