Galamsey operator jailed 7 years for defilement

A 19-year-old man who sexually exploited a 15-year-old girl after he lured the victim into his room at Fahiakobo, a farming community in the Adansi South District of the Ashanti Region, has been jailed for seven years.

Nii Odai, a galamsey operator, was convicted by an Obuasi circuit court on his plea of one of guilty to the offence of defiling the pupil of Fahiakobo D/A Primary School, while he was in a position of trust.

Prosecuting, ASP Ebenezer Diabene informed the court presided over by Fredrick Enold Kwasi Nawura that the offence took place somewhere in April this year inside Nii Odai’s room.

According to him, the convict who hails from Prampram in the Greater Accra Region, lived and worked in the Fahiakobo community where the victim also lived with her elder sister.

Somewhere in March this year, the prosecution continued that Nii Odai engaged the victim to wash his clothing for a fee.

Whilst the 15-year-old primary-six pupil was doing the washing, she found some money in the convict’s pocket which she quickly sent to him in his room.

ASP Diabene said Nii Odai, harbouring the intent to commit the lewd act, locked up the door and attempted to rape the victim, but she managed to escape after screaming for help.

The prosecution narrated that the victim informed her brother in-law who later warned Nii to stay away from the victim, but did not.

The police prosecutor said the convict kept on pestering the young girl with his love proposal and went further to shower gifts on her, including school uniforms and sandals as well as pocket money.

On that fateful day in the month of April, ASP Diabene stated that the convict lured the victim into his room and sexually assaulted and subsequently asked her not to disclose the act to anyone.

About a month ago, the prosecution disclosed that the complainant detected changes in the movement of the victim upon careful observation and questioned her.

A complaint was later lodged with the police, leading to the arrest of Nii Odai when the girl (now two months pregnant) narrated her ordeal in the hands of the convict to the complainant.