JSS student jailed for defilement

Akyem Swedru (E/R), June 7, GNA - The Akyem Swedru Circuit court on Wednesday jailed Paul Odum, an 18-year-old JSS two student, eight years, for defiling a 15-year-old girl at Akyem Soabe in the Kwaebibrem District of the Eastern Region, which later resulted in a pregnancy.

Odum was convicted on his own plea of guilty to a charge of defilement.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Charles N. Quaye told the court presided over by Mr Edward Kwame Bosompem Apenkwah that, the complainant a teacher lives at Akyem Soabe with his daughter. He said on October 6, last year, one Ofori sent the victim to give an amount of money to his wife, who lived in the same house with Odum but did not meet the woman.

The prosecution said the girl then decided to leave the money with Odum, who was by then present in the house.

Odum later lured the victim into his room and forcibly had sex with her and warned her not to disclose it to anyone. Inspector Quaye said two months later, the complainant detected that her daughter was pregnant and confronted her on the issue, who mentioned Odum as the one responsible.

When the complainant confronted Odum, he admitted the offence and was asked to pay 500,000 cedis towards the medical expenses of the girl. The prosecution said Odum however failed to meet the demand and the case was referred to the Domestic Violent Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police at Akyem Oda Divisional headquarters for further investigations, where Odum was later charged before the court.