22-year-old man jailed 15 years for defiling minor

A 22-year-old shop attendant has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court at the Police headquarters for the defilement of a 16-year-old girl on two separate occasions.

Anthony Ayew, who was charged with two counts of defilement and indecent assault, pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him. Presiding over the case, Judge Dora Eshun Inkumsah convicted Ayew based on his own plea and subsequently handed down the appropriate sentence.

The prosecution, led by Detective Chief Inspector Opoku Aniagyei, provided details of the case. The complainant, a 23-year-old mobile money merchant residing in Agbogboloshie, Accra, was the brother of the 16-year-old victim. Ayew, the convicted individual, also resided in the same house as the victim.

According to the prosecution’s account, Ayew often sent the victim on errands. On December 25, 2022, around 8:00 pm, as the victim and her friend were returning home, they encountered Ayew standing in front of his room. Ayew called the victim over, and upon approaching him, he forcibly dragged her into his room. There, he undressed the victim, twisted her arm behind her back, and sexually assaulted her for the first time.

The prosecution further revealed that Ayew continued to engage in sexual acts with the victim in February and April of 2023. In a separate incident, when the lights in the victim’s house went out, she opted to sleep outside to enjoy some fresh air. Ayew joined her and began fondling her breasts. In response, the victim struck Ayew with such force that it attracted the attention of a witness who happened to be present.

The victim promptly informed her brother, who then reported the incident to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service. The complainant was provided with a medical report form to seek medical care for the victim. After a medical examination, a report was issued, leading to Ayew’s arrest.

–The Post Ghana