A 19-year-old illegal miner, who appeared before the Tarkwa circuit court for defiling a three-year-old girl, has been sentenced to 23 years’ imprisonment with hard. 

Paul Appiah pleaded not guilty to the offence. However, the court found him guilty and convicted him after the full trial.

Chief Superintendent of Police Alex Odonkor, prosecuting, told the court presided over by Mrs. Hathia Ama Manu that the victim’s mother was the complainant.

Appiah was related to the victim’s father. 

He said the victim’s father had rented a room for Appiah and his colleagues because they worked for him at his mining site.

The house was close to that of the complainant.

He said on June 28, 2023, Appiah and his friends visited the complainant at her home and requested for hot water to prepare food. 

He said when they were leaving with the hot water, the victim followed them to their room because she had a good relationship with Appiah. 

Chief Superintendent Odonkor said in the process, the accused person defiled the victim without his pals noticing, and the victim set off to the house in tears after the act. 

According to the prosecutor, Appiah quickly went out of the room and escorted the victim to the complainant (mother). 

Prosecution said on that faithful day, two witnesses, the complainant’s landlord and his wife were in the house when they heard the victim crying in Appiah and his pal’s room. 

He said the witnesses became worried and the landlord decided to check on her, noticed her panties had been pulled down. 

Chief Superintendent Odonkor said on August 29, 2023, the complainant who did not suspect anything, took the victim to Appiah’s place to buy pampers from a provision store owned by the landlady in the house, and she suddenly detected that the victim’s mood had changed. 

He said the complainant questioned the victim in the presence of the witnesses and she revealed that Appiah removed her panties and had sexual intercourse with her in his room. 

Chief Superintendent Odonkor said the complainant was disappointed and informed her husband and they invited Appiah to know the truth about the incident, but he absconded after admitting the crime. 

The complainant then took the victim to the Pentecost Hospital in Tarkwa for treatment and later reported the matter to the Western Central Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) Office, Tarkwa.

He said a medical form was issued to the complainant on behalf of the victim to send her to the hospital for examination and report, but she was referred to the Apinto Government Hospital to seek further medical attention.

The complainant later submitted the medical form endorsed by a medical officer to the police, and Appiah was arrested.