An Accra circuit court has sentenced a mason to five years’ imprisonment for having sex with his 17-year-old daughter. Richard Kumi pleaded guilty to the charge of incest when he made his first appearance before the court presided over by Ms Sedina Agbemava.

The judge said the court gave him a minimum sentence because he spared the court the ordeal of a full trial. The victim is said to have had no opening in her vagina and after a surgery at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Kumi began having sex with her instead of sending the victim for review at the hospital.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Adiza Suleman said the victim lived with her grandparents at Gomoa Akroful in the Central Region and the convict resided at Shiashie in Accra. According to ASP Suleman, the victim had no opening in her vagina and as result suffered severe pains when she was 12 years old and did not have the monthly menstrual cycle.

The prosecutor said in August last year, the victim was brought from Goma Akroful by her mother to live with Kumi at Shaishie. Later the victim was taken to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for some months where she was operated on successfully. During that period Kumi bathed and cleaned the victim until she recuperated from her surgery.

After the surgery, Kumi was to send the victim to the hospital for review but forced the victim to have sex with her and sometimes beat her whenever she refused to yield to her father’s sexual demands.

On June 16, the victim escaped to her grandparents at Gomoa Akroful and informed them about the ordeal her father was taking her through. Prosecution said Kumi went to visit his wife at Agona Swedru and he was lured to the Police Station where he was arrested and brought to the Airport Police.