A 26-year-old visually impaired young man yesterday told an Accra Circuit Court, where he was being tried for defilement, that the victim forced herself on him.
The accused, Daniel Adarkwa, who is unemployed, told the court that the victim rather suggested that they should have sexual intercourse.
Charged with the offence of defilement of a female under 16 years contrary to section 102 of Act 29/60 as amended by Act 554 (1) of 1998, the accused admitted the offence.
The trial judge, Ms Patricia Quansah, accordingly jailed Daniel for seven years to serve as a deterrent to others.
On the claim of the request for sexual intercourse by the victim, the court held that that was immaterial, with respect to the age of the victim.
ASP Sarah Acquah, the prosecutor, told the court during trial that the complainant was a social worker of Orphan Aid Africa, an NGO at Dodowa, while the victim was a class three pupil at Saint Peter’s Mission School at Ogbojo in Accra.
She said both the victim and the accused are both beneficiaries of the NGO and live in a foster home at Madina Third Gate, also a suburb of Accra.
ASP Acquah said at about 5:30pm on July 1, 2015, there was a blackout in the home, compelling all the inmates of the home to go out leaving the victim, her twin sister and Daniel behind.
The police officer said Daniel sent the victim’s twin sister to buy him ‘Sobolo’, a locally made drink, from a nearby house and escorted her out of the compound and locked the gate leading to the compound.
She said the accused returned to the hall and realised that the victim was sleeping in a three-in-one sofa, adding that Daniel took advantage of the victim and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her.
The prosecutor further said the victim attempted to scream but Daniel covered her mouth. Whilst committing the offence, the twin sister of the victim, whom he (Daniel) had sent on the errand, returned and knocked on the gate.
ASP Acquah said the accused went and opened the gate and that the victim later narrated her ordeal to her twin sister and to her foster mother, who then lodged a complaint with the police, leading to the arrest of the accused.
By Daily Guide
