A 60-year-old farmer, Yao Kuma, has committed suicide to avert punishment and shame after defiling a 14-year-old student.

The corpse of the deceased has been deposited at the Presbyterian Health Post morgue at Dormaa, pending autopsy.

The District Police Commander for Bia West and Bia East, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Daniel Wiafe confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday.

He said both the victim and Kuma resided at Sefwi-Tema Cottage, near Sefwi-Kaase in the Bia West District of the Western Region.

ASP Wiafe said two weeks ago, Kuma sneaked into the victim's room and defiled her.

He said the victim later reported the act to her parents and Kuma was summoned to appear before the elders of the town on Tuesday January 14.

However, to avert punishment and shame, Kuma took a concoction suspected to be poison, collapsed afterwards and died shortly on arriving at the hospital.

ASP Wiafe said the incident occurred on January 14, when the deceased was supposed to appear before elders of the town.