Galamsey operator jailed for defilement

The Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced a galamsey operator, Ebenezer Amissah, to eight years imprisonment with hard labour for defiling a 13-year-old girl in a bush.

He pleaded guilty with an explanation.

The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Veronica Tibson, told the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu that the complainant was related to the victim, a Junior High School student.

She said the victim lived with her siblings at Mile 5, near Nsuaem, in the Western Region.

ASP Tibson said on July 26, 2025, the victim’s grandmother asked her to buy bread for her and while on the way, she met Amissah within the vicinity, and he started exhibiting sexual interest towards the victim and even claimed he was in love with her.

On July 27, 2025, at about 2200 hours, the prosecutor said Amissah chanced on the victim and told her to meet him behind their bathroom so he could give her some dresses as a gift.

She said when the victim arrived at the location, Amissah lured her into a nearby bush, covered her mouth with his palm, and had sexual intercourse with her on the ground.

ASP Tibson added that the victim screamed for help, and his brother, along with some youth in the community, rescued her, arrested the convict, and handed him over to the police.

The complainant took the victim to the police station, made an official complaint, and was issued a medical report form to send the victim to the hospital for examination, treatment, and report.

The prosecutor said the complainant returned the medical form endorsed by a medical officer at the Nsuaem Government hospital.

According to her, Amissah, in his investigation caution statement, alleged that the victim gave her consent before he committed the offence.

The court, however, rejected his explanation and handed down the sentence to him.