Father impregnates daughter

Tarkwa (W/R), Jan. 15, GNA- A forty-two year old farmer, Kojo Anti, of Dasuano village near Enchi in the Aowin-Suaman District of the Western Region has been sentenced to 40 years imprisonment in hard labour for impregnating his 14 year old biological daughter. A Tarkwa Circuit Court presided over by Mr John Ajet Nasam, slapped the sentence on Anti, who had pleaded guilty to defilement and incest. Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Anthony Danso of the Tarkwa Police said the victim is a fourteen-year old primary school girl and first daughter of Anti's three children.

He said the accused is a farmer at Dasuano village near Enchi in the Aowin-Suaman District.

Chief Inspector Danso said the marriage between the accused and the victim's mother had been strained and therefore do not stay as husband and wife.

He said the accused took advantage of the absence of the victim's mother and forced her to have sexual intercourse with her since age thirteen.

The accused sensing danger of public ridicule told the victim to have sexual intercourse with his brother-in-law Desmond Kwaku who was then staying with him (accused) at the village in order to blame him (Desmond Kwaku) for the pregnancy.

But the information leaked and a report was made to the Police, and the accused was arrested.

The mother of the victim who testified at court said, for about two years now, the marriage had "been on rocks" and therefore left to her hometown.

She said a few weeks ago Anti sent a message to her to come to Dasuano and that her daughter (the victim) was sick.

The mother said she responded to the message and went to see her daughter, but realised that she was six months pregnant. She told the court that not knowing what to do, decided to inform the Police for action to be taken.

The victim who could not bear the ordeal the father (accused) subjected her through said, amidst tears streaming down her cheeks that her father cautioned her that she would die if she discloses the act, so kept quiet for the father to have sexual intercourse with her anytime he wished.