Court remands man for defiling girl, 13

Asamankese, Sept. 18, GNA - The Asamankese Circuit Court remanded Francis Kwasi Basare, a 50-year-old farmer, who allegedly detained a 13-year-old girl in his room for 16 days and had sexual intercourse with the victim.

He pleaded not guilty and will reappear on September 19. Prosecuting, Police Inspector J.F. Idan, said on August 29, Basare met the girl on her way from the farm and gave her 5,000 cedis to see him for a message.

In the evening of the same day, the girl, who left home to Basare's house without informing the parents, was locked up by the accused in his room and he had sex with her.

The prosecutor said the next day, Basare locked the girl in his room and went to his farm after which he resumed his sexual assault on the victim.

Inspector Idan said a gong gong was beaten and the girl's father and some people including the accused, mounted a search for the victim but to no avail.

He said, on September 12, at about 1900 hrs when the girl's father was returning from his distillery, he heard a voice similar to that of his daughter in the room of the accused.

The Prosecutor said after the girl's father was convinced that the voice was that of his daughter, he lodged a complaint with the police. The police found the girl in Basare's room, the following day.

Inspector Idan said the accused in his caution statement, admitted the offence but stated that it was the girl who proposed to marry him. When the judge asked Basare if he did not hear the beating of the gong-gong announcing the girl's disappearance, he (accused) said he did not hear the message and claimed the girl refused to return home.

The judge, who heard evidence from the victim in camera in the presence of the accused and her parents, later described the incident "as a reprehensive act of cheap sadism by a 50-year-old man to wickedly imprison a girl for over two weeks to satisfy his sexual desire."