A 32-year-old coconut seller, Emmanuel Ofori, has been handed a ten-year prison sentence with hard labor for defiling a 13-year-old girl.
Appearing before the Cape Coast Circuit Court, Ofori pleaded guilty simpliciter, and based on his admission, the court convicted him. The survivor being a female under the age of 16 years was a crucial factor in the court’s decision.
The presiding judge at the circuit court was Her Ladyship Veronique Praba Tetteh, who took charge as a relieving Judge at circuit court one.
According to the prosecution, Chief Inspector John Asare Bediako, the complainant, Madam Debora Kumi, is a farmer and also the grandmother of the survivor. Both the survivor and Ofori lived in Twifo Praso, a town in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa district of the Central Region.
The incident occurred on Monday, July 17, around 07:00 hours when Madam Deborah sent the young girl to sell corn dough in Twifo Praso Township. It was during this errand that the survivor encountered the accused, Emmanuel Ofori.
Under the pretense of buying some corn dough from her, Ofori deceitfully led the girl to his residence. Once there, he lured her into his room, undressed himself, and then forced the young girl to undress before having sexual intercourse with her on the floor.
After the heinous act, Ofori gave the survivor GHC 5.00 to buy food. The traumatized girl returned home and bravely revealed the ordeal she had endured at the hands of Ofori to her grandmother, Deborah.
Deborah wasted no time and reported the appalling incident to the Twifo Praso Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU). As a result, the authorities promptly arrested Ofori.
To gather evidence for the case, a Police Medical Report Form was issued to Ofori to take the survivor to any Government Hospital for medical examination, treatment, and endorsement. During this process, Ofori was cautioned by the police.
On Tuesday, July 18, Deborah returned the Medical Form, which had been duly endorsed by the Twifo Praso District Hospital. The medical examination revealed that the survivor’s hymen was absent, providing critical evidence for the case.
As a result of these damning findings, Ofori was formally charged with the offense and arraigned before the court to face justice for his despicable actions.
