The Hohoe Circuit Court has sentenced John Hygene Ahiadji, a 40-year-old commercial motor rider and a former teacher to seven years imprisonment for defiling an 11-year-old class six pupil.

Ahiadji who appeared before the Court on May 15, 2023, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement but the Court found him guilty and subsequently convicted him after a full trail.

Chief Inspector Charles Aziati, Prosecutor, told the Court presided over by Mr Michael Johnson Abbey, that the complainant was the mother of the victim, and both lived together.

He said the convict was a former teacher at the school where the victim attends school.

Chief Inspector Aziati said in 2022, whilst the convict was a class teacher at the said school, he took the victim to his room one of the days and had sexual intercourse with the victim after which he brought her back.

He said in April this year, the victim came out of her house one evening to throw out dirty water and by the time she was returning, the convict met, lured, and had sexual intercourse with her.

Chief Inspector Aziati said on May 4, 2023, at about 2100 hours, the victim came out as usual to throw dirty water into a gutter.

He said the convict again met the victim at the entrance of the house in darkness and began to remove her pant amidst inserting his hands into the victim’s vagina and had sexual intercourse with her.

Chief Inspector Aziati said a witness in the case whose room was adjacent to the door of the complainant heard a noise, peeped through his window, and saw the act of the convict.

He said an attempt made by the witness to arrest the convict was unsuccessful since the convict ran away.

Chief Inspector Aziati said the witness reported the incident of the complainant who had also reported the case to the police leading to the arrest of the convict.

He said medical forms were issued to the complainant to send the victim to the hospital for treatment.

Chief Inspector Aziati said the forms duly endorsed by the medical doctor were returned the same day and indicated that the victim’s vagina had been penetrated.

He said the convict admitted the offence in his caution statement.