Kumasi, Jan 15, GNA- Yaw Fofie, a 20-year-old mason apprentice, was on Thursday sentenced to seven years imprisonment for defiling a 14-year-old girl.

Fofie was convicted on his own plea with the explanation that the victim was his girlfriend and that he had had sex with her not in the bathroom as stated on the charge sheet but in a room near the bathroom and pleaded for leniency.

Police Chief Inspector Matthew Asante in his prosecution told the court, presided over by Mr Ernest Yao Obimpeh that the victim, a student, whereas the convict, a mason apprentice, both lived at Atwima-Hwidiem.

He said on October 3, last year at about 1400 hours, the victim was washing her cloths in the house when Fofie came to the house to buy some water.

He was told the water was finished and he pretended to be leaving but did not. Chief Inspector Asante said the victim went to ease herself and when she returned, she found the accused still in the house. Fofie then took advantage of the absence of the victim's mother and the co-tenants and dragged her to the bathroom where he forcibly had sex with her.

After satisfying himself, the accused warned the victim never to disclose it to anyone and failure to comply will cost her life. Fearing for her life, the victim kept mute on the incidence until the next day at about 0200 hours when she woke up to urinate into their chamber pot where her mother saw traces of blood in her urine and she was confronted.

The victim then revealed the secret to her mother and Fofie realizing the matter had been reported to the police after the victim's father had been informed, went into hiding till some months later when he was arrested.

A medical report confirmed that the victim had been defiled and after police investigations Fofie was charged with the offence. In his judgement, Mr Obimpeh warned men, especially young men who date girls under 16 years to desist from that act.