A 26-year-old church drummer has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for defiling a six-year-old girl on the church premises at Laterbiokoshie in Accra.

Nathaniel Ayiku was found to have defiled the girl on the church premises after a wedding ceremony in October last year.

Ayiku pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement, but the court found him guilty after a full trial.

Threat

It was an emotional scene as Ayiku was slapped with the 15-year jail term by the court, presided over by Ms Christina Cann.

Before passing the sentence, the presiding judge described Ayiku as a threat to society, adding that he showed no mercy to the child, and, therefore, did not deserve any mercy.

“You are a threat to humanity, and we need to put you away to serve as a deterrent to others,” the judge said.

Facts

The facts before the court were that Ayiku — who was sleeping at the church auditorium — sat in one of the offices on the church premises after the wedding ceremony on that fateful day.

The prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Agnes Boafo, said while Ayiku was in the office, the victim accidentally entered in search of a rubber band to play with.

She said Ayiku, after realising that the six-year-old girl was not in pants, “capitalised on that” and had sexual intercourse with her.

Blood

DSP Boafo said on November 11 last year, the child complained that she was seeing blood in her urine.

Her mother, who was the complainant in the case, observed the child and confirmed that the child’s claim was factual.

The mother then questioned the little girl, who narrated her ordeal with Ayiku, the prosecutor told the court.

DSP Boafo added that a report was made to the police, and a medical report form was issued to the mother of the girl to enable her to access medical examination at the hospital.