Herbalist jailed 20 years for defiling 15-year-old

Asamankese, March 24, GNA - Peter Amuzu, a herbalist from the Republic of Benin, has been jailed 20 years by the Asamankese Circuit Court for defiling and impregnating a 15-year-old school girl, a junior sister of his girlfriend.

He pleaded guilty.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector J. K. Akutey told the court that, Amuzu lived with the sister of his victim at Adankrono, near Asamankese, while the girl lived with her mother in a nearby village.

About four months ago, he said, Amuzu invited the girl to live with them so that he could cure her of an ailment but took advantage of that to sexually abuse her whenever the elder sister was out of the house. When she complained of waist pains, she was sent to hospital, where she was found to be four months pregnant, the prosecution said. A report was made to the Police and Amuzu was arrested at the Kade Lorry Station as he was trying to escape.

Passing sentence, the judge, Mr Kofi Akrowiah deplored his behaviour and said the law should be applied, but was, however, concerned about who would take care of the unborn child, while the father was in prison and suggested that Parliament should have a second look at the law.