Techiman (B/A), Jan. 15, GNA- A circuit court in Techiman remanded Kofi Adongo, a 42-year-old farmer at Ntankora, near Kintampo, for defiling a 11-year-old girl. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and would reappear before the court on January 23, this year.

Police Inspector Ruth Oduraa told the court, presided over by Mr. Godwin Kwasi-Kumah, that on December 21 last year, the girl's mother Abenaa Boahemaa left her under the care of a co-tenant and went (mother) to fetch water from the river. Prosecution said Madam Boahemaa on her return did not find her daughter and enquired from the co-tenant where the girl was. Inspector Oduraa said the co-tenant told Boahemaa that she saw the girl play with the accused.

Prosecution said Boahemaa rushed to the house of the accused but did not see the accused and the daughter so she (Boahemaa) informed the assembly member for the area about the development. Inspector Oduraa said the assembly member organized a search party, which looked for the girl to no avail. Prosecution said the girl re-surfaced later with a torn pant and when she was examined blood stain and sperms were found in her private part.

Inspector Oduraa said the search party arrested the accused at a hide-out and handed him over to the police. He said a medical report by the Government Hospital at Kintampo indicated that the girl had been defiled but the accused in his cautioned statement to the police denied any knowledge of the offence.