A Circuit Court in Koforidua in the Eastern region has jailed a Spiritualist, Kofi Asiedu, popularly known as Mallam Isaah for 17 years after he defiled a 14-year-old girl under the pretext of exorcising her from witchcraft.

He was convicted on his own guilty plea on Tuesday. The incident occurred at Begoro in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern region.

The facts of the case as presented to the court indicate that, on July 2017, father of the victim requested the convict to exorcise the victim over suspicions that she possessed evil spirits due to her frequent involvement in theft and other deviant behaviours.

The convict agreed and requested that the victim stays with him so that he can perform the rituals to exorcise her.

However, since the victim moved in with the convict on July 20, 2017, the spiritualist on countless times had sexual intercourse with her.

According to Prosecution, Mallam Issah will drag the 14-year-old victim into his room, bath her with some herbs, then smear Shea butter into her vagina and after that have sexual intercourse with her as part of the rituals to cast out the alleged witchcraft.

The convict told the victim that, the witchcraft was hiding in her stomach, therefore, the sexual intercourse will drive the spirit away.

The victim narrated her ordeal to her father after he went to Issah’s house to take his daughter.

The father quickly reported the case to the Begoro Police. A Police medical form was issued for medical examination.

The convict was arrested on November 16, 2017 and brought to DOVVSU in Koforidua where he admitted the offence and was charged with defilement.

The Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police Command, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh in an interview with Starr News on the upsurge of defilement and rape cases in the region, said the regional Command is concerned adding culprits will be swiftly prosecuted.

He said several culprits have been jailed this month with sentences ranging between 18 years and 12 months to serve as a deterrent to others.

ASP Ebenezer Tetteh urged the Public to report defilement and rape cases to the Police for swift prosecution instead of covering up and settling the matter in their homes to help curb the menace.