Man 35 sentenced to 71 years in prison for defilement of minors

The Wa Circuit Court has handed down a 71-year prison sentence to a 35-year-old man, Ahmed Rashid, who was found guilty on 10 counts of defilement.

Rashid had previously denied the charges, pleading not guilty, citinewsroom.com reports.

Presided over by His Honor Jonathan Avogo, the court delivered its decision after determining that Rashid, a local master of ceremonies (MC), had engaged in sexual acts with seven minors (girls).

This act is in violation of section 101 of the Criminal Offenses Act, Act 29.

The principal state attorney, Saeed Abdul-Shakuur, representing the prosecution, revised the original twelve counts of defilement against the convict.

Instead, five separate dockets were presented, containing a total of fifteen defilement charges and five attempted defilement cases.

Initially, twelve victims had reported the unlawful incidents, which had occurred over an extended period and involved the convict.

As the case progressed, an additional four victims were identified, confirming that they too had experienced multiple instances of sexual penetration by the defendant.

During the proceedings on August 23, a medical officer at the Wa Municipal Hospital, Dr. Alhassan Mohammed Mubarak, provided crucial confirmation of the assaults in a solemn courtroom.

Dr. Mubarak's testimony revealed that all the victims had lost their hymens, underscoring the gravity of the crimes committed.

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