Farmer gets 15yrs for defiling step-daughter

A 35 year-old farmer, who allegedly defiled his 13 year-old step-daughter at Kofi-Gyan, in the Prestea Huni/Valley District has been sentenced to a total of 15 years imprisonment in hard labour by a Tarkwa Circuit Court.

Emmanuel Kwame Baffo, pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement and was thus sentenced on his own plea.

Prosecuting, Police Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah told the court, presided over by Mr. Obeng Asante, that the victim was a school dropout and lived with her mother and the convict at a cottage near Kofi-Gyan.

Inspector Amponsah said, on May 17, this year, the victim’s mother went to a nearby farm to harvest banana and left her one year-old daughter in the care of the victim and Baffo.

He said while the baby was asleep the convict sneaked into the room and forcefully had an affair with the victim, after which he told her not to tell anyone about the incident.

The Prosecutor said, however, the following day the victim narrated her ordeal to her mother and when she questioned Baffo he denied the allegation and even brought a drink to invoke curse on the victim for defaming him but some family members intervened and asked both parties to end the matter.

According to the Prosecutor, on May 26, at about 0700 hours, the victim’s mother left the convict and the victim alone in the house and went to the Kofi-Gyan Village to collect insecticide treated net.

He said Baffo took advantage of the situation and had an affair with the victim again, after which he left for the bush to check on his traps.

Inspector Amponsah said immediately he left the house the victim proceeded to Kofi-Gyan and informed Baffo’s land owner about what he had done to her.

The land owner also informed some unit committee members who arrested the convict and later called for Police assistance so the convict was detained at the police station.

He said the victim was issued with a police medical form to attend hospital for examination and a report confirmed defilement of the victim.