A farmer who defiled a 12-year-old girl at Tabakrom in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in hard labour by a Tarkwa Circuit Court.

Richard Kofi Asante, charged with defilement pleaded not guilty to the offence.

At the end of the trial, the court presided over by Madam Hathie Ama Manu, found Asante guilty and convicted him accordingly.

Prosecuting, Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, said the complainant was a farmer residing at Tabakrom with his wife and the victim, whilst Asante also live in the same vicinity.

She said on November 20, 2022, at about 0930 hours, the convict went to the complainant’s house to buy cassava, but on his arrival, the complainant’s wife informed him they had none in stock in the house.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the complainant’s wife who was with the victim asked Asante to wait in her house so she could dash to the farm and harvest some of the cassava for him.

She said the complainant’s wife after a while returned from the farm with the cassava and sold some to the convict on credit and he left.

The prosecution said the victim then informed her mother that Asante forcibly had sexual intercourse with her on their veranda while she was away.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the victim’s mother informed the complainant who reported the incident to the Police in Prestea where a medical report form was issued to the complainant to seek medical care for the victim.

She said Asante was arrested and during interrogation, he admitted the offence in his cautioned statement.