Mason remanded for defiling victim in uncompleted building

A 55-year old mason has appeared before a Circuit Court in Accra for allegedly defiling a seven-year old girl at an uncompleted building at Okaishie, Accra.

Victor Kwasi Atatza has, however, denied the charge of defilement.

The court presided over by Mrs. Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye has remanded Atadza into Police custody to reappear on September 28.

Detective Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire told the court that the victim stays with her mother at Okaishie. Atatza reside at Oyibi but was currently working on an uncompleted building at Okaishie.

Chief Inspector Atimbire said sometimes, the victim and her siblings run errands for the accused and he gave them one cedi each on each occasion and they returned to their mother.

On August 30 this year, at about 7:00 pm, Atatza went to their sleeping place in front of a store where squatters have mounted their mosquito nets.

Atatza went for the victim and one of her sibling to the uncompleted building under the pretext of fetching water for them to be given to their mother who was then washing.

Later Atatza sent the victim’s brother to go and buy mosquito coil and send same to his room but he should delay in coming back.

Prosecution said the victim’s brother went and on his return, he found Atatza having sex with the victim on a bench with the victim’s panties lying by the bench.

The accused on seeing the victim’s brother stopped the sexual intercourse and gave the victim and her brother GH¢2 each and warned them not tell anyone about the act.

The victim, however, informed her mother about her ordeal.

Prosecution said not quite long, the accused came to the complainant and she raised an alarm and the accused was apprehended by a mob who escorted him to the Accra Central Police.

A medical form was issued to the complainant to send the victim to the hospital for examination and returned the medical report.

The accused denied the offence in his caution statement to the Police.