Footballer jailed 10 years for defilement at Assin-Aworoso

A Cape Coast Circuit Court has sentenced a 31-year-old footballer from Assin-Aworoso in the Assin South District of the Central Region to 10 years in jail for defilement.

The convict, Kofi Awua, pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement and asked the Court for leniency, but that did not meet the grace of the presiding Judge, Mrs Dorinda Smith Arthur.

The Judge expressed her disapproval of the upsurge of the phenomenon across the region and hoped that the convict's sentence would serve as a deterrent to others.

The Prosecutor in the case, Chief Inspector Gilbert Ayongo, briefing the Court, mentioned the complainant as Madam Akosua Antowaa from Twifo-Dwendaama and the victim's mother.

He said on Thursday, September 23, 2021, Madam Antowaa and the 13-year old victim travelled from Twifo-Dwendaama to Assin-Aworoso for a funeral.

However, the next day of their stay, at about 0800 hours, the victim was sent out to buy rice water, but she decided to pass the funeral grounds before returning to the house.

The convict spotted the girl at the funeral grounds and lured her into his room and had sexual intercourse with her.

He said the victim, who was new in the community, could not trace her way back home and pleaded with the convict to assist her, but he refused.

The victim was spotted by a good samaritan crying at about 1400hrs the next day, Friday, September 25 and assisted her to re-establish contact with her mother and the girl narrated her ordeal.

Subsequently, Madam Antowaa complained to the police in Assin-Aworoso, leading to the arrest of the convict.