Kojo Sam, an 18-year-old farmer from Putubiw, a community, near Cape Coast, was on Wednesday, sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour for defiling a 10-year old girl.

Sam, who pleaded guilty with explanation, told the circuit court that he committed the act because he found the girl “attractive and sexy” and asked for forgiveness.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Augustine Amonoo told the court presided over by Mr Richard Asiedu-Badu that last Friday, May 16, the victim, a pupil, from Apewusika, also near Cape Coast, met Sam on her way home from school. He said Sam had a chat with her and later asked her to follow him to his house for a gift, which she did. Chief Inspector Amonoo said as soon as they entered his room; Sam pushed the girl onto his bed and forcibly had sex with her. Chief Inspector Amonoo said the girl started bleeding during the act and shouting for help, but no one heard her.

He said Sam later released her to go home, but a witness in the case met the victim with blood oozing from her genitals and reported the matter to her (girl’s) parents, who made a report to the chief of Putubiw.He said when the girl and her parents emerged from the chief’s palace, she identified Sam from among a group of boys playing draught under a big tree, as the one who had defiled her. He said Sam was arrested by the people around and later handed over to the police, and the girl sent to the hospital.