A Kumasi Circuit Court presided over by Emmanuel Amo Yartey has sentenced a 42-year-old ex-convict to 15 years’ imprisonment for defiling a 12-year-old girl in a mosque. Awudu Gariba, who pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement, contrary to section 101 of Act 39/60, claimed the little girl rather unzipped him and had sexual intercourse with him. Presenting the facts of the case to the court, Police Chief Inspector P.Y Bebli said the convict used to stay with the victim’s mother in the same house at Anloga, a suburb of Kumasi. The prosecutor said a few years ago, 42-year-old Gariba was ejected from the house and he decided to stay at the Anloga Mosque. On June 4, 2012, at about 5:30pm, according to the prosecutor, the victim misbehaved, left home and passed the night at the mosque where the convict was occupying, for fear of being punished. Chief Inspector Bebli said the convict took advantage of the situation in which the minor found herself and sexually abused her twice the same night. After satisfying his libido, he gave the victim GH¢1.00 and warned her not to disclose the act to anyone. According to the prosecutor, on June 5, 2012, at about 5:30am, the mother of the victim went for her usual morning prayers at the mosque where she surprisingly found her daughter lying naked beside the convict. When her mother interrogated her, she confessed her sexual escapade with the convict. The mother then lodged a complaint with the police, leading to the convict’s arrest. In Awudu’s caution statement, he admitted to the offence and was arraigned after investigations.