A 38-year-old farmer, Daniel Azawutor, has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour by the Tarkwa Circuit Court for defiling a 12 year-old girl.

Azawutor was convicted on his own plea.

Police Chief Inspector Florence Tawiah told the court presided over by Mr Samuel Obeng Diawuo that the complainant, Francis Morrison, is related to the victim who is a primary two pupil and lives in the same vicinity with the offender at Bonsawere in the Tarkwa- Nsueam Constituency.

She said at about 2330 on April 3, an aunt of the victim saw her going out of the house and she returned 30 minutes later to say she visited the convict who gave her GH¢1.50.

Chief Inspector Tawiah said the victim confessed to her aunt that, sometime last year, Azawutor proposed to be his friend and when she visited him in his room at night he had sexual intercourse with her and gave her GH¢10.00.

She said a report was made to the Nsuta Police, and this led to the arrest of the convict while the victim was sent to the hospital for examination where it was confirmed that she had been defiled.

Inspector Tawiah said all the parties involved were then referred to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit in Tarkwa.

She said after investigations, the convict was charged with the offence and was arraigned.