Fisherman jailed eight-years for defilement

A Circut Court in Cape Coast on Tuesday sentenced a 23-year-old Abdullah Ayuba, a fisherman to eight-years imprisonment in hard labour for defiling a 15-year-old girl at Elmina in the Komemda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipality of the Central Region.

He was among three men who ganged up and defiled the girl.

However, the second accused, 18-year-old, John Mensah, alias Yaw, trader, was acquitted and discharged of abatement of crime while the police had mounted a search for the third accused who is at large.

Ayuba pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement in a court presided over by Mrs Afia Nyarko Adu-Amankwah which convicted him after trial.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Charles Hevi, said the complainant is Mr Robert Awotwe, a 38-year-old trader who resides with the victim at Tatermu in Elmina.

He said on Monday, April 2, 2018, at about 0630 hours, the victim left home with the mother Madam Mary Awotwe to their former house at Essuekyir, a suburb of Elmina.

When they got to the house, the victim sneaked out of the house to attend a beach party at Elmina Castle and closed around 1900 hours and on her way home, she spotted her mother searching for her from afar and in anger and so she decided to change her direction towards home by using another route where she met the accused.

They demanded to have sex with her and threatened to kill her if she refused them, they then tore her panties and forcibly took turns to have sexual intercourse with her.

According to the Prosecution the third accused who is currently at large had the first turn, handed the girl to Ayuba and left while John Mensah took his turn later.

However, the cry of the victim attracted Papa Dade, a physically challenged person who could not help due to his condition but alerted one Mr. Carlos Bartels Cudjoe who thenn rescued the victim and sent her home as the accused took to their heels.

Later, Mr Awotwe who is the girl's Uncle, reported the matter to the police at Elmina.

A medical examination report was later sent to the Cape Coast Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) leading to the subsequent arrest of the two by the police in Elmina.