A 65-YEAR-OLD herbalist who allegedly defiled a 10-year-old pupil has been remanded in prison custody by the Berekum Circuit Court. The accused, Alhassan Soungo, alias Sharp, who lives with the victim and her parents in the same vicinity, pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement and is to reappear before the court, presided over by Mr I. K. Akonte, on February 14, 2011. Presenting the facts of the case, Police Inspector Kwadwo Oduro-Boateng said about two months ago the victim's mother went to Accra to do business when she was informed by her husband that their daughter had menstruated and so she should call the girl to direct her as to how to manage the situation. The prosecutor said the mother returned the following day to find that the girl was bleeding profusely, for which reason she enquired from the girl whether someone had inserted something into her vagina, but the girl refused to answer. Inspector Oduro-Boateng indicated that the mother later observed that her daughter was in severe pain and her condition was deteriorating. So she continued to impress upon her to tell her what had actually happened to her. According to the prosecutor, it was at that point that the victim's younger sister revealed that while the mother was away in Accra, she had seen her sister enter the accused's room. He said it was at that juncture that the victim disclosed that Soungo had lured her into his room and forcibly had sex with her. Inspector Oduro-Boateng said the little girl had been sent by her father and while she was on her way, the accused, who was then standing in front of his room, asked her to collect money to buy him something. He said when the victim obliged, the accused took undue advantage to sexually abuse her. Inspector Oduro-Boateng said the accused warned the girl not to disclose the act to anyone, else she would die. Source: Daily Graphic