Tema, Oct. 7, GNA - A 38-year-old carpenter has been sentenced to 15 years impridsonment by the Tema Circuit Court "B" for having carnal knowledge of his stepdaughter, aged 11 at Ashaiman Zongolazka. Wonder Dzanado pleaded guilty to the charge of defiling his stepdaughter, and was convicted accordingly.

The facts of the case as presented to the court by Police Chief Inspector Edith Nutakor were that, on March 4, 2001, the victim's mother left her at home and went to market.

Chief Inspector Nutakor said the accused person took advantage of the absence of his wife, and had sexual intercourse with his stepdaughter, adding, when the mother came home in the evening, the victim informed her about the ordeal she went through, but her mother doubted it. The prosecution said the following day, the accused person had sexual intercourse with his stepdaughter for the second time, and again, she reported the matter to her mother.

The prosecution said the mother in turn, reported the case to her friend and when the friend led them to confront the accused person, he admitted the offence.

Chief Inspector said when the case was reported to the police, the accused person went into hiding, until September 19, this year, when he was finally arrested and charged with the offence.