Palm-wine tapper goes in for defiling niece

A 20 year-old palm wine tapper at Kumeagya, a farming community in the Asante-Akim South District, has been jailed for 12 years for sexually abusing his niece and threatening to kill her parents.

Walanyo Humali was on Thursday put before Juaso Circuit Court, presided by Mr Fredrick Tetteh, to answer charges of incest and defilement.

He pleaded guilty to both offences and would serve his sentence in hard labour.

Police Detective Sergeant Princeton Peasah Darkwah said the victim lived together with the elder sister and her husband at Kumeagya, near Kumeso.

He said the accused, about five months ago, travelled from Sogakope to live with the family.

The prosecution said sometime in February, the couple left for the Obogu Market and their absence provided the opportunity for Humali to attack and sexually abuse the victim.

The girl did not keep her ordeal to herself, he said, and informed her sister, who confronted the convict and warned him never to repeat the reprehensible act since they were from the same family.

But, the prosecutor said, that did not stop Humali from making another attempt on April 10, which was met with fierce resistance by the victim.

Police Detective Sergeant Darkwah said once again the victim reported him to the elder sister and husband, who threatened to send him back to Sogakope.

Humali, however, became angry, pulled a cutlass and threatened to kill the couple so his conduct was reported to the Police.

He admitted defiling the victim in his caution statement but denied threatening to kill anybody.