An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 47-year-old educationist to 48 years imprisonment in hard labour for defiling a girl, aged seven.

Sokah Phidels Load, an ex-convict, denied the offence and was taken through a full trial after which he was found culpable.

Sokah was jailed for a similar offence in 2011 for 25 years, but was later reduced to 15 years through an appeal, where he completed his term in 2020, only to be involved in another offence.

Police Chief Inspector Edna Aningah, giving the facts, told the Court presided over by G. A. Inkumsah-Ishum that the complainant was the father of the victim and they lived in Accra.

Sokah, she said, the educationist/sex offender, worked in the girls’ school for three weeks and resided in the school, but his criminal record was unknown to the school’s authorities.

Police Chief Inspector Aningah said on February 6, 2025, at about 0715 hours, the complainant dropped the victim at school, and the ex-convict who was in his office upstairs at the Administrator’s Block, saw the victim entering the Common hall to put her drink in the School’s fridge.

Prosecution said Sokah called the victim to his office and asked her to show him her panty, which she did, afterwards he took the victim to the teachers’ washroom and instructed her to sit on the Water closet and angrily asked her to remove her panty and cover her face which she did with her uniform but peeped to watch him.

The ex-convict then opened his flap, knelt, and inserted his finger and manhood into the victim’s private part, the Prosecution said.

The Court heard that the victim tried to scream for help, but he covered her mouth and warned her not to tell anyone else he would cane her.

Chief Inspector Aningah said the girl mustered courage and informed one of the class five pupils, who was a sister of the victim’s classmate, who also informed the School’s authorities.

After the close of school, the victim was called to the Director’s office, and whilst she was narrating her ordeal, her father, the complainant, who had come to pick her home, was invited and informed about the incident.

The ex-convict, the Police said, sneaked out of his office the moment he realised the victim had informed the School authorities and went into hiding.

Prosecution said the complainant reported the case to the Police, where a medical form was issued for the victim to attend the hospital, where she was medically examined.

Police Chief Inspector Aningah said Sokah did not show up at the school after the incident, and all means to reach him proved futile.

Chief Inspector Anninga said he later sent a voice note to the school that he heard the Police were looking for him, but refused to show up at the school.

Police got information about his hideout- living in a container at Santeo, the Court heard.

Police placed surveillance in the neighbourhood with his identification card.

The Police said on March 13, 2025, he was arrested at his hideout.

After the investigation, he was charged with the offence and put before the court.