Accra, Sept. 29, GNA - An Accra Circuit Tribunal on Wednesday sentenced a 31-year-old mason to 10 years' imprisonment in hard labour for defiling a 12-year-old girl.

Afakye Tanator said in his defence that he inserted his fingers into the female organ of the girl but did not have sexual intercourse with her. He pleaded not guilty.

Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ms Jessie Nunoo told the tribunal, chaired by Mr Charles Nyewolema, that the complainant, Madam Agnes Dugan, the mother of the victim, and the accused live in the same house at Mallam in Accra.

DSP Nunoo said on June 19, last year, when Madam Dugan left her daughter and went to market at Kasoa, Tanator called the girl and gave her 50 cedis to buy iced water for him.

The prosecutor said on her way to buy the water, Tanator laid ambush and dragged her into a kiosk, covered her mouth with his shirt, tied her hands with a rope and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her.

She said the victim immediately after her ordeal informed her brother who reported the matter to their mother when she returned from the market. The girl's mother examined her and became convinced that she had been defiled and, therefore, reported the matter to the police.

The police issued a medical form for the victim to attend hospital and arrested the accused.