Painter jailed 9 years for defiling 10-year-old girl

A Cape Coast circuit court has sentenced a 56-year-old painter to nine years imprisonment in hard labour for defiling a 10-year-old girl.

John Annan Friar, convict, pleaded guilty to the charge of abduction of a child under 18 years and attempting to defile her.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector John Asare Bediako told the court, presided by Mrs Dorinda Arthur Smith, that the complainant, the mother of the girl, lives in the same vicinity with Friar at Ntsin in Cape Coast.

The court heard that Friar woke the sleeping girl up and signalled her not to make noise to alert her mother, who was watching television in her room.

Chief Insp Bediako said convict took her to his room and told her to undress and massage his erected penis, which he rubbed on the girl’s vagina.

Prosecution said when Friar smeared shea-butter on his penis and tried to have sex with the girl but could not penetrate, he kept brushing his penis on her vagina.

Chief Insp Bediako ordered the girl to dress up and gave her GH?2.00, but on her way home, she met her mother and narrated her ordeal to her.

He said a formal report was made to Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Cape Coast and police medical forms were issued for the girl to receive medical examination, treatment and counselling.

Friar was subsequently arrested after investigations.