Driver, 28, handed 12-year jail term for defiling 15-year-old

A 28-year-old driver, Isaac Kwame Asante, has been convicted and sentenced to 12-year imprisonment for defiling a teenager.

The victim, 15, is currently pregnant.

Facts from the Prosecuting Officer, Inspector Salifu Kamal Gumah, indicated that on October 29, 2020, the victim was sent by her mother to buy foodstuff at the Akyem Asiakwa market.

The accused person, on seeing the victim at the market, exchanged pleasantries and proposed love to her but she refused.

On the second errand by the victim at Bunso Taxi Rank two days later, the accused person, who spotted the victim, asked her to accompany him to buy something nearby.

The accused person drove to a nearby guesthouse, booked a room and took the victim in.

He asked the victim to remove her panties. The victim questioned him and disagreed with his request.

The accused person forcibly took off the panties of the victim, pushed her down on the bed, covered her mouth with his hand and defiled her.

He warned her not to inform anyone about the ordeal and assured her she wasn’t going to get pregnant because of some vaccines he took to weaken his sperms.

A month later, the victim found out she was pregnant and called the accused to inform him before officially informing her mother.

The case was reported to the police on Tuesday, March 16 by her 60-year-old father and a medical report issued out.

The medical report confirmed a 20-week-and-four-day pregnancy.

The accused was arrested at Bunso to assist in investigations. He admitted the offence.

He pleaded guilty with the explanation that the victim is his fiancée and the sex was consensual.

The Kibi Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Peter Oppong-Boahene passed the judgement.

Section 101(2) of the Criminal Offence Act, Act 29 1960 makes it an offence to have sex with a child under 16 years, with or without her consent.