Man cries over 20-year jail term for incest and defilement

A Circuit Court in Accra has sentenced a 32 year old security man to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour for sexually abusing his 12-year old daughter twice at a warehouse security post at Agbogba a suburb of Accra.

Joseph Koduah had told the court that he could not tell if he had sex with the victim on the first day because he took four sachets of alomo bitters, a local alcoholic beverage.

Koduah also said on the second day, he did not take any alcohol and vividly recalled that he did not defile his daughter and prayed the court to assist him to ascertain whether or not he did defiled his daughter on that occasion.

He was found guilty by the court on the charges of defilement and incest. The court presided over by Mrs. Christina Cann sentenced Koduah to 20 years on each charge. The sentences will however run concurrently.

The court earlier discharged him on the charge of threat of death because prosecution could not prove that charge.

Koduah broke down in tears as soon as the 20-year jail term was pronounced. Handing down the sentence, the court said it took into consideration the plea of mitigation, the premeditation of Koduah and the prevalence of the offence in society.

The court also raised concerns of over moral decadence in the society which has sunk to nothingness and that there was the need for a concerted effort to strictly do away with these animalistic instincts exhibited by some people.

According to the court instead of Koduah protecting the sanity and dignity of his daughter, he rather chose to meet out such cruelty on his own daughter.

It described Koduah as an “animal” who should be kept away from society and his sentence should serve as a deterrent to others.

Lawyer Yaw Dankwah, who acted as a friend of the court pleaded for mitigation for Koduah saying the victim was going to lose his father considering the stigma and psychological trauma that the victim would be going through.

Mr. Dankwah said the punishment to be handed over to Koduah should be such that it would reform the convict to learn a lesson in life.

According to the lawyer Koduah was a also a first time offender and has shown remorse for his actions.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Judith B. Asante on her part prayed the court to give out a deterrent sentence, adding that, the victim was with the Ark Foundation in Koforidua.

Prosecution said the complainant is 50 year old trader and the victim, a class six pupil. She said the victim is the complainant’s niece whiles Koduah has no fixed place of abode hence passes the night at the warehouse.

The victim was living with her aunties at Madina but on July 15, last year, at about 1530 hours, Koduah went to pick the victim from there and sent her to his duty post.

The prosecution at about 1800 hours same day, Koduah told the victim that it was too late to send her back to her aunties so she should pass the night at his duty post. Prosecution said in the night Koduah asked the victim to sleep beside him as soon as she did that Koduah tried to kiss her but she refused.

Prosecution said Koduah then put pomade into the victim hands to massage his penis for him but the victim refused.

She said Koduah then threatened her with a hacksaw blade and a knife if she failed to comply with his orders.

The Prosecution said Koduah later went ahead to have sex with the victim in the night and at dawn of July 16, last year, Koduah repeated his sexual act before sending her to the aunties.

The prosecution said on July 17, last year, Koduah went to the victim’s school to pick her but the school authorities refused to release her to him.

She said the complainant reported the matter to the Police and accused was arrested and medical report form was issued to the victim to seek medical attention.