A 38-year-old pure water machine operator, who allegedly defiled his 16-year-old daughter following a spiritual direction from a pastor, has appeared before an Adentan Circuit Court.

George Offei allegedly lied to the victim that their pastor had given a spiritual direction that he should have sex with her else a calamity would befall the family.

Charged with incest, Offei pleaded not guilty. The court presided over by Sedinam Awo Balokah, has admitted Offei to bail in the sum of ¢300,000 with three sureties.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo narrated that the complainant was a trader residing at La, Accra, while the accused, the father of the victim, resided at Madina.

He said when the victim was four years old, the complainant left her with the accused. However, after some years the accused gave the victim back to her mother to take care of her.

The prosecution said nine months ago, the accused received a series of complaints from the victim’s mother that she had been truant.

Based on that Offei went for the victim and he had since been living with her. The prosecution said the accused tried several times to have sexual intercourse with the victim, but she declined.

Offei then lied to her that “their pastor has given spiritual direction for him to have sex with her else spiritual calamity will befall the family,” the prosecution said.

The victim was not convinced but the accused forced her and had sex with her and he did that on three different occasions, he said.

The victim, who was traumatised, run to her mother and narrated her ordeal to her. A report was then lodged at the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit, Madina, and a Police Medical Report form was issued to the complainant to seek medical care for the victim.