The Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced a labourer to 14 years imprisonment with hard labour for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old girl. 

The victim, a Junior High School student at Prestea, in the Western region, is seven weeks pregnant. 

Valentine Nyame pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement, but the court convicted him after he was found guilty of the offence. 

The prosecutor, Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, told the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu that the complainant is a trader and mother of the victim, and resides in the same neighbourhood at Prestea as Nyame. 

On August 4, 2023, at about 21:00 hours, the prosecution said the accused lured the victim into his room and had sexual intercourse with her. 

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the complainant became upset when the news got to her and she reported the case at the Prestea Police Station, where the convict was nabbed for questioning. 

Prosecution said while the investigation was ongoing, the convict admitted the offence in his caution statement and confessed that he started having sex with the victim two months ago. 

The police issued a medical report form to the complainant to send the victim to the hospital, and she later returned the medical report endorsed to the police. 

 According to Superintendent Essel-Dadzie the medical report revealed that the victim was seven weeks pregnant, and Nyame was charged with the offence and put before court.