Cleaner jailed 15 years for having sex with minor

Drama unfolded at an Accra Circuit Court when a 33-year-old cleaner, who had denied defiling a 10-year-old girl at Sabon Zongo, near Laterbiokoshie, confessed to the crime and prayed the court for forgiveness.

Kofi Amoah, who was to open his defense at the Circuit Court, admitted having defiled the victim on two occasions and that he used condoms.

The Court, presided over by Mrs Christiana Cann, convicted Amoah on his own plea and sentenced him to 15 years in prison on the charge of defilement.

Detective Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire, prosecuting, said the complainant was the mother of the victim and a trader.

He said Amoah, complainant and victim resided in the same vicinity at Sabon Zongo near Laterbiokoshie in Accra.

The complainant sold fruits and Amoah had been buying bananas from her and through that got to know the victim.

Prosecution said a few months ago, the complainant detected that Amoah gave the victim money, an act she was not comfortable with and warned him to stop giving her daughter money and coming to where she sold the fruits.

On October 24, last year, Chief Inspector Atimbire said at about 2000 hours, the complainant asked the victim to watch over her fruits whiles she took her bath.

Prosecution said when the complainant returned, she was informed that Amoah had asked the victim to accompany him to buy something.

Chief Inspector Atimbire said the victim followed the accused to a drug store where he bought a pack of condoms.

Amoah then asked her to accompany him to his sleeping place so he could show her his laptop and a music box, which the victim obliged.

On reaching the place, a book shop, Amoah locked the shop and had sex with her.

Whiles in the act, the complainant arrived and knocked at the door, but the accused hid the victim under a table and covered it with a plywood before opening the door, prosecution said.

Amoah then informed the complainant that the victim had left for home but complainant, not convinced, decided to search the shop and found her daughter hiding under the table.

The complainant escorted Amoah to the police station where a medical report form was issued for the victim to be examined at the hospital and receive treatment.