Crime & Punishment of Friday, 29 September 2017

Source: ghananewsagency.org

Court acquits two held for defilement of seven-year old

The Court said there were inconsistencies in the evidence of the witnesses The Court said there were inconsistencies in the evidence of the witnesses

Two persons who were accused of defiling a seven-year old girl at Adenta on different occasions have been acquitted and discharged by an Accra Circuit Court.

Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku's judgement held that the prosecution failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt against Frederick Owusu and Seth Awukuvi.

The Court also held that there were inconsistencies in the evidence of the witnesses called before it.

Both Owusu, 28, and Awukuvi, 24 who had been charged with the crime, had pleaded guilty.

Prosecuting Inspector Judith Asante had earlier told the Court that the complainant was a businesswoman residing with the victim at Abladjei-Parka at Adenta.

The accused persons also lived with the complainant. On June 27, 2015, the complainant was bathing the victim and in the process of washing her vagina detected some sores there.

When the complainant asked the victim, she mentioned the names of the accused persons as those who had defiled her but warned her not tell anyone.

According to the victim, Owusu had sex with her anytime the complainant went to town.

In the case of Awukuvi, the Prosecution said he also defiled her on different occasions in the house.

Therefore, on September 17, 2015, a report was made to the Police at Adenta and the accused persons were arrested; while the victim was given a medical form to seek medical care.