A newly inaugurated circuit court situated at the premises of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (ASHMA) has handed a three-year jail term to a 17-year-old welder for defiling a 15-year-old girl.
Evi Ebenezer had sexual intercourse with the victim, Gladys Agbovor, on a bench under a tree close to the kiosk of the complainant in the case, Yaa Mansah, the guardian of the victim.
Presenting the facts of the case to the court presided over by Justice Lydia Osafo Marfo, the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Marjorie Otabil said the complainant is a food vendor and lives with the victim at Ashaiman while the accused is a welder and lived with his parents at Ashaiman Timber Market.
The prosecutor said at about 8pm on October 22, 2013, Ebenezer, who was returning home from church, passed by the complainant�s kiosk and invited the victim, Agbovor, over for conversation.
He said the two sat on a bench under a tree close to the complainant�s kiosk and the accused fondled Agbovor�s breasts, laid her on the bench and had sex with her.
In November 2013, the complainant detected that the victim was pregnant and when she enquired Agbovor mentioned Ebenezer as the one responsible for the pregnancy.
ASP Otabil said Ebenezer admitted responsibility when he was confronted by the complainant.
He explained that the complainant reported the matter to the Ashaiman Police, who issued a medical report form to the victim.
ASP Otabil said the medical report indicated that the victim was 35 weeks and two days pregnant, and when Ebenezer was arrested, he admitted having sex with the victim.
In court, Ebenezer pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years� imprisonment, with the first year to be served at the juvenile correctional centre.
The court then asked the parents of the victim to take full responsibility of their daughter�s pregnancy.
The first court sitting day saw the premises heavily packed, and in attendance were the Ashaiman Municipal Chief Executive, Ibrahim Baidoo, Justice Gertrude Torkonoo of the Appeal Court, who represented the Chief Justice at the inaugural ceremony, and the Divisional and District Commanders of Ashaiman.
The others were the Regent of Ashaiman, Nii Anang Adzor, other traditional heads of the area and assembly members.
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