Two traders in court over defilement

Two traders who allegedly defiled a 13-year-old girl at Kantamanto have been put before an Accra Circuit Court charged with defilement.

They are Dennis Akorlie and Joseph Armah.

The Court, presided over by Mrs. Patricia Amponsah, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Akorlie who failed to appear before it.

Armah who was present in court pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He has been admitted to bail in the sum of GHC 50,000 with two sureties, one to be justified with a title deed.

The Court further ordered the prosecution to file and serve on the accused with witness statements for Case Management Conference.

The matter has been adjourned to January 14, 2022.

Prosecuting, Inspector Opoku Aniagyie, did not object to the grant of bail to Armah but indicated to the court that the accused had no fixed place of abode.

Inspector Aniagyei said the victim, a school drop-out was the complainant in the case and that the accused persons were traders residing at the Kantamanto market.

The Prosecution said in October this year, the victim arrived from Senya Breku in the Central region and went to Kantamanto in the Central Business District, where Akorlie asked the victim to pick some money from his tent for him.

It said unknown to the victim, Akorlie also entered the tent and undressed the victim and had sex with her on a mattress on the floor.

The Prosecution said after the act, Akorlie drove her out of the tent.

It said on November 28, this year, at about 12:00 pm, Armah went roaming at Kantamanto and he saw the victim and he invited her into his tent and had sex with her.

After the act, prosecution said Armah drove her out of the tent, but the victim declined.

It said the victim narrated her ordeal to one Mohammed Illiasu who engaged her on what she was doing around the tent.

The Prosecution said Illiasu later caused Armah’s arrest.

It said Armah’s arrest drew people to the scene, including Akorlie, who was also identified by the victim as the one who defiled her, days ago.

The Prosecution said the two accused persons were escorted to the Greater Accra Region Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit and a report was made to the Police.

It said the Police sent the victim to a hospital where she was examined and treated with a report submitted on her.

The Prosecution said the accused persons in their respective caution statements denied the offence.