Akyem Swedru (E/R), Nov. 9, GNA - A 54-year-old magician/herbalist, Akwasi Nkansah was on Tuesday sentenced to 16 years' imprisonment in hard labour by the Akim Swedru Circuit Court for defiling a 12-year-old school girl.

Nkansah pleaded not guilty to a charge of defilement. Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector John Padmore Arthur told the court, presided over by Mr Edward Kwame Bosompem Apenkwah, that the convict who claimed to be a herbalist and a magician was staying in the same compound house with the uncle of the victim at Akim Anyinam in the Birim South District.

He said during last vacation, the victim, who was schooling in the Central Region, went to Akyem Anyinam to visit her uncle and other family members.

On August 17, this year, a sister of the victim took her to see the convict to perform some ritual for her to enable her become clever in school.

Chief Inspector Arthur told the court that the convict instructed them to go and buy two padlocks for the performance of the ritual. When the padlocks were brought, the convict covered them with a peace of rag and instructed them to go and throw them into a stream and again ordered the victim to see him alone the following day. He said on August 18, at about 1500 hours when the victim entered the convict's room, he placed some cowries on her forehead and coins into her palm and later asked her to close her eyes.

When that was done, the convict ordered the victim to lie down on the floor after which he removed her panties and smeared an ointment to her private part.

The Prosecution said the convict had sex with the girl and that while in the act a younger sister of the victim entered the room and saw the convict in the act.

The young girl went back quickly and informed her uncle and her grandmother about what she saw and they went to make a report to the Akyem Achease police.

The victim was issued with police medical report forms to attend the Akyem Oda Government Hospital where it was confirmed that her hymen had been freshly broken. 09 Nov 05