The Amasaman Circuit Court has sentenced an ex-convict, Abdul Razak, to 20 years’ imprisonment in hard labour for sodomising a minor. 

Razak, also known as Nii Atofotse, a labourer, was remanded before sentencing.  

He was given five years’ imprisonment in hard labour for the threat of death after admitting the offences.  

Razak was convicted on his own plea, having initially denied the charges. 

The Court, presided over by Justice Enid Marful-Sau, a High Court Judge with additional duties at the Circuit Court, sentenced Razak, 55, to 20 years for defilement, five years for threat of death, and three years for stealing.  

The five and three-year sentences are to run concurrently, while the 20-year term runs consecutively. 

Police Chief Inspector Salifu Nashiru told the Court that the complainant, a trader, is a guardian to the victim, a Junior High School student. 

He said Razak lives at Manhean. The complainant and the victim’s parents are neighbours in Accra. 

The prosecution said the victim often stayed with the complainant due to his parents’ busy schedules.  

On January 7, 2025, at about 1300 hours, the victim was sent to deliver a laptop and charger to a brother. 

While at home, the complainant received a call from the victim’s father, who said the boy had damaged someone’s car and the person was demanding GH¢500 or would take him to Adabraka Police Station.  

He asked the complainant to assist at the station. 

The Court heard that the complainant went to the Police Station but did not find the victim. 

He returned home and searched the area but did not see the victim or the caller. 

Later, the victim returned home and, when questioned, told the complainant that on his way back from delivering the laptop and charger, Razak approached him and asked if the charger was for a phone.  

The victim said it was for a laptop; the prosecution told the Court. 

He said Razak then pulled a knife from his pocket, lured him into an unfinished building at Odumase and asked for his parents’ phone number.

He used to call the victim’s father and demanded GH¢500 from him. 

Razak also forced the victim to tell the father that he had smashed his car, after which he asked the minor to perform oral sex on him.  

According to the prosecution, Razak then sat on a cement block in the unfinished building and attempted to push his erect manhood into the victim’s anus but was unsuccessful.  

Razak forced the victim to stoop and sodomised him.   

After the act, Razak collected the laptop charger from the victim, searched the victim’s pocket, and stole GH¢50 from him, the Court heard. 

Razak threatened the victim, saying the three marks on his arm would reveal his actions, and warned he would kill him if he told anyone. 

The Court later heard that Razak took the victim to a nearby store, bought him a drink and sachet water, and then left him. 

The prosecution said that on March 5, 2025, Razak was spotted in front of the victim’s school. The victim raised an alarm, leading to Razak’s arrest, and the complainant was notified. 

During investigations at the Amasaman Domestic Violence and Victims’ Support Unit, it was discovered that Razak had been involved in a similar case in March 2017 and was released from Nsawam Prison in November 2024. 

The prosecution said a police medical report form was issued to the complainant, who took the victim for examination and treatment.  

On March 7, 2025, the form was received. Based on this, Razak was cautioned, and after further investigations, he was arraigned.