The Cape Coast High Court has sentenced a 63-year-old farmer to 10 years imprisonment for defiling a 7-year-old class three pupil at Assin Nyame-Bekyire in the Central Region.
The accused, Joseph Begyina a.k.a Yaw Esoun, was charged with defilement contrary to section 101 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act 26 of 1960.
According to the prosecution, the accused is alleged to have defiled the minor on four different occasions, of which two occurred in the victim father’s bedroom and two on the cocoa farm.
Prosecutor, Chief Inspector Gilbert Abagna Ayongo explained to the court that the victim’s father who is the complainant in the case is a farmer and also sells local gin at Breku Nyamebekyere while the accused lives in a different village which is about 500 meters away from the complainant’s house.
On April 29, 2023, at about 3pm, the accused went to buy local gin from the complainant and after being served, the complainant asked the victim to take care of the drinks while he works on his farm.
The prosecution continued that after working for about five minutes the father went back home to pick up something but met the absence of the victim behind the drinks, hence called the victim.
The victim upon hearing her name being called by her father came out of the room, and as she was being questioned about what she was doing in the room, the accused was also seen coming out of the room zipping up his shorts.
The father became suspicious and raised up his daughter’s dress and to his shock, she was without pants.
The victim when queried, confirmed the accused had had sexual intercourse with her and further confessed that, that was not the first time as it usually happens when the parents are away.
The father on hearing this rushed to the police station to lodge a complaint leading to the arrest of the accused person.
In his caution statement, the accused admitted having had sexual intercourse with the victim once on a cocoa farm and the second attempt is when the father chanced on them.
A medical form was thus issued and same was returned and after careful investigation, the accused person was charged with the offence to stand trial.
