Teye Fredi, a 25-year-old vulcanizer, has been sentenced to 24 years in hard labour by a Koforidua Circuit Court, for defiling a three-year-old girl. Teye pleaded guilty and was sentenced on his own plea by the court, presided over by Ms Wilhelmina Hammond. Police Inspector Patrick Adzadza told the court that on August 28, the victim and her grandmother returned from church to their home at Boti, near Obawale. After lunch, the grandmother decided to attend a funeral in town but she could not find the child. Police Inspector Adzadza said the complainant then heard the child's voice from Teye's room and forced the door open where she saw the victim sitting on Teye's lap. He said the complainant raised the alarm and people rushed to the scene and when he was interrogated, Teye confessed that he had defiled the victim. He said Teye was then arrested and sent to the police station, and a medical form was issued to the complainant to send the victim to hospital for examination. Police Inspector Adzadza said Teye was later handed over to the Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) and after investigation, he was charged with the offence.