Mr. Patrick Komla Agordzo, the 80-year-old presbyter of the Evangelical Presbyterian church has been arrested for defiling a fifteen year-old girl at Peki Dzake in the South Dayi district of the Volta Region, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment.
The old man, popularly known as Togbe Agordzo pleaded guilty to the crime of having carnal knowledge of a minor during his first appearance before the circuit court in Kpando last Friday, May 6, and was consequently convicted by the presiding judge, Emmanuel Agyir on the same day.
The judge, in his ruling cited the old age of the Presbyter as a reason for slapping the minimum jail term of seven years on him, which he has begun serving at the Kpando prisons.
BACKGROUND
The suspect now turned convict, was arrested on Monday, May 2 this year for allegedly having sex with the victim in his room, when she was sent on errand by her grandmother on Sunday April 17.
His arrest came after the Daily Heritage reporter alerted the Peki district police command about the nefarious act of Togbe Agordzo against the 15 year-old primary pupil, which her family wanted to settle at home.
The victim in an earlier interview with this paper also revealed that the presbyter had abused her sexually on at least three occasions under death threats.
Meanwhile, the swift nature in which justice was dispensed by the court has brought relief and joy to the young girl and her mother, who was under intense family pressure to withdraw the case from the police.
The victim’s mother, who has since left Peki to Banda in the Northern Region with her daughter, expressed surprise at the speedy turn of events at the court.
She told the Daily Heritage that “we didn’t know the court could finish with the case the same day. So it came as a surprise when the judge pronounced seven years jail sentence on him, but we are happy and grateful for drawing the attention of the police to our issue.
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