A Nigerian signwriter who abducted a 14-year-old girl and defiled her has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Gender Based Violence Court at the Police Headquarters, Accra.
Efe James Edema, 19, charged with defilement and abduction, pleaded guilty.
The court presided over by Mrs Abena Amponsah Boansi convicted Edema on his own plea.
Prosecution led by Inspector Opoku Aniagyei narrated that the complainant was the father of the victim.
Inspector Aniagyei said the complainant resided at Ayikuma together with the victim and that the accused resided at Nungua.
The prosecution said last year Edema went to work at Ayikuma and befriended the complainant and the family.
It said, however, during September 10, this year, the accused, now convict, informed the complainant that his work had ended at Ayikuma, and that he would be returning to Nungua.
To the surprise of the complainant, the prosecution said the complainant in the evening of September 10, this year, realised that the victim was no where to be found after Edema had left.
It said the complainant went round in search of the victim but to no avail.
The prosecution said the complainant, therefore, reported the matter to the Police at Ayikuma on September 11, 2022.
It said the complainant then posted the pictures of the victim on the status of his phone and other social media platforms.
Afterwards, the prosecution said the complainant was informed by his brothers at Nungua that, they had seen a girl who resembled the victim in the company of Edema.
The prosecution told the court that the complainant asked his brothers to snap pictures of the accused and the victim and send same to him (the complainant).
When the pictures of the victim and Edema were sent to the complainant, he identified the victim.
The prosecution said the complainant went to the Nungua Police Station with an Extract of Occurrence from Ayikuma Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit for assistance.
It said Edema was nabbed by the Police and the complainant was issued with a medical report to send the victim to the hospital for examination.
A full medical report on the victim was submitted to the Police.