30-year-old man in court for defiling girl, 14

A 30-year-old electrician has been hauled before the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly defiling a 14-year–old girl and paralysing her.

The prosecution claim Emmanuel Ampah, who is a close friend of the girl’s parents, defiled her on numerous occasions, starting from 2015, whenever he visited them.

He is alleged to have told the girl that he had planted a juju in the house so if she dared scream or told her parents about his acts, the girl’s mother and younger brother would die.

During his appearance at the court yesterday, Ampah pleaded not guilty to defiling a child under 16 years and was remanded in police custody.

Hearing continues on December 14, 2017, at the court, presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku.

Medical check-up

The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agnes Boafo, said Ampah was a family friend of the victim’s parents and visited them on a regular basis.

The girl’s parents, she said, treated Ampah as part of the family and normally fed him and provided him with some assistance.

According to ASP Boafo, in November this year, the girl’s parents took her to hospital for medical check-up after they realised that she could not walk properly and was almost paralysed.

She said at the hospital, a medical doctor revealed that the girl had been defiled on numerous occasions.

Victim speaks out

The girl, the prosecutor added, then opened up to her parents that Ampah had been defiling her since 2015 and even did it a week before they brought her to the hospital.

The alleged victim, ASP Boafo explained, told her parents that she kept quiet because Ampah told her he had hidden a juju in the house and, therefore, her mother and brother would die if she told anyone about his deeds.

It is the case of the prosecution that after the girl’s confession, her father confronted Ampah, who confessed that he tried sleeping with the girl on two occasions, but was unsuccessful.

“He then confessed to have only fondled the girl,” ASP Boafo said.

Writer’s email: emma.hawkson@graphic.com.gh