Crime & Punishment of Saturday, 7 April 2018

Source: mynewsgh.com

'I didn’t see the pregnancy' - Mason justifies defilement of pregnant 15-year-old

The 15-year-old victim is allegedly 5 months pregnant The 15-year-old victim is allegedly 5 months pregnant

Kwaku Honu, a 21 year old mason based in Bawjiase at Kasoa, appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defiling a heavily pregnant teenager.

He pleaded not guilty, informing the court that regarding the teenager’s pregnancy, he didn’t see it as they had the sex at night, MYNEWSGH.com’s reporter gathered.

But while pleading he is not guilty, he said he didn’t use any condom during the act.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Judith B. Asante said the complainant is a 15-year old school dropout and is actually seven months pregnant. The accused and the victim reside at Oyarifa.

The prosecution said between February and March this year, the accused person met the victim at Kasoa Bawjiase and became friends.
Due to that Honu invited the victim to his residence at Oyarifa where he lived in a five-bedroom uncompleted house.

Whiles there, the prosecution said Honu had numerous sexual encounters with the victim.

The victim, prosecution said informed Honu later that she was pregnant and soon after this information, Honu started harassing her to leave his abode and go and live with her mother and refused to give her money for transport.

The Prosecution said the victim who was not happy with that informed Honu’s friend who approached Honu on the matter. This however infuriated Honu and he assaulted the victim but during the scuffle a witness came to the victim’s aid and handed over Honu to the Police at Oyarifa.
Later the matter was transferred to Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit (DOVVSU) where a medical form was issued to the victim to seek medical assistance.

The court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku didn’t take kindly to his explanation asking him, in a dialogue that made the court room burst into laughter, whether he was blind when he met the girl whose 5-months-pregnancy was protruding.

Honu told the court that he was not aware that the victim whom he met two months ago at Kasoa Bawjiase in the Central Region was five months pregnant.

This is what ensued in court:

Judge: Did you know the girl (15 years) was five months pregnant when you met her?

Honu: No

Judge: When you took the victim to your house didn’t you see that she was pregnant?

Honu: No, I took her home in the night so I did not see the pregnancy

Judge: Are there no lights in your house?

Honu: Yes, there are.

The court after admitting Donkor to bail in the sum of GH¢20,000.00 with one surety advised him to go and work hard because a DNA test would be conducted to ascertain the father of the baby.