A 25-year-old evangelist in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in hard labour for forcibly having sexual intercourse with a nine-year-old girl in a school. Kwabena Adomako, a self-styled preacher of the gospel who preaches on repentance at open spaces in the business district of the city, defiled the minor (name withheld) in the public place at about 7:30 pm on May 10, 2011. A Kumasi Circuit Court presided over by D.P.W. Amedior jailed Adomako, a native of Apitiso, a community near Obuasi in the Ashanti region, after pleading guilty to a charge of defilement. The sentence, according to the court, was to serve as a deterrent to other men in society who thoughtlessly raped and defiled girls. Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Doris Amewu said the victim lived with her mother at Asafo in Kumasi whilst the convict lived at Amakom. Adomako is a member of the Presbyterian Church in Obuasi but preaches publicly in the Kumasi metropolis. Through the preaching, the convict got to know the victim’s mother, who has been cooking for him. Prosecution said on May 10 this year, Adomako sent some food stuffs to the victim’s mother to prepare food for him, and when he went for the food at about 7:30 pm, she asked her nine-year-old daughter to see the evangelist off with the food. ASP Amewu said the convict took advantage of the situation and took the girl to the Amakom Primary School where he defiled her. Adomako took to his heels when he realized that he had been caught by a passer-by, leaving the little girl behind in the school. She told the court that the victim managed to return home and informed her parents about her ordeal. The case was subsequently reported to the police and the victim taken to the Manhyia Government Hospital for examination and treatment. On May 11, 2011, at about 10 am, Adomako was spotted at the Kumasi Central Market preaching repentance, whereupon he was grabbed and handed to the Manhyia Divisional DOVVSU for investigation. Source: Daily Guide