‘I was fast asleep when it happened’ – Driver accused of defilement tells court
A 30-year-old driver who claimed to be in a transfix when an alleged defilement happened has been sentenced by the Accra Circuit Court.
Micheal Fotsu said, “I was fast asleep, but suddenly woke up only to realise that the victim was sitting on me and my manhood was already in her vagina.”
It was a statement that got many people in the courtroom to bury their faces in their palm to stifle laughter.
Fotsu, however, pleaded guilty to the charge of defiling a minor —an 11-year-old girl—who also happened to be his wife’s niece.
The court presided over by Christianna Cann convicted Fotsu on his plea and sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment.
The judge, while sentencing the accused, indicated that due to the seriousness and prevalence of the offence, as well as the premeditation under which the accused person committed the offence, he deserved time behind bars.
It also considered the age of the victim and the trauma the victim had suffered.
FACTS
According to the facts of the case presented by Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbere, the complainant is a waitress while the victim is a class three pupil.
The accused person is a 30-year-old driver, who happens to be the husband to the complainant.
All parties, according to the prosecution reside in a wooden structure at Klagon in the Tema West Municipality.
On November 2, this year, the complainant noticed some changes in the way the victim walked and questioned her about it.
The prosecution said the complainant took the initiative and inspected the victim’s private parts and noticed sores around her vagina, which looked reddish.
The victim then informed the complainant that it was Fotsu who had abused her and warned her not to tell anyone or else he would beat her.
On November 4, this year the matter was reported to the Police at Klagon, and the accused was picked up.
Fotsu, in his statement to the police, admitted defiling the victim.
Research by theghanareport.com has revealed that 96 children below ages of 15 were defiled in Accra alone for 2019.
The figure constitutes the number of only reported cases being tried at the Accra Circuit in 2019.
Many experts say this figure could be more as parents of rape victims, for fear of social rejection and “shame” refuse to report such incidents to authorities.
In some cases, even when the cases are reported, the intervention of highly placed persons lead to these cases being withdrawn to be settled at home. Also, in some cases, compensations are offered to the victim and family.
And this is the scenario across the length and breadth of the country, which suggests that a lot more girls are defiled almost on daily basis.