A 19-year-old fisherman, Edward Quansah who defiled a four-year-old girl was on Monday sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by a Circuit Court in Cape Coast.

Quansah, who lives at Ekumfi Narkwa in the Ekumfi District of the Central Region, pleaded not guilty to the offence but the court presided over by Mr Kwame Amoako found him guilty at the end of the trial.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Christina Sampong said the complainant, Mr Emmanuel Koufie, who is the uncle of the victim, lived in the same vicinity with Quansah at Ekumfi Narkwa.

She said on Wednesday, March 29, Quansah lured the victim into a nearby bush and had sexual intercourse with her.

The girl cried out for help but Quansah persisted till he had sexually satisfied himself and later abandoned the victim in the bush until some passersby saw her with blood oozing out of her vagina and sent her to the Mankessim Roman Hospital.

Chief Inspector Sampong said the girl was later referred to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital where she is still receiving treatment.

A medical report indicated that the victim had been defiled and the case was referred to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service at Cape Coast.

Quansah who was earlier seen with the victim was reported to the Essakyir Police and he was later arrested.

According to Chief Inspector Sampong, the Central Regional Police Ladies Association had to contribute to pay the medical bills of the victim because her family could not afford it.