The Gender-Based Violence Court in Accra, presided over by Dora Eshun, has sentenced a 46-year-old trader, Daniel Opoku Larbi, to 12 years in prison for defiling a 10-year-old girl at Danfa.
Larbi, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was found guilty at the end of the trial and subsequently convicted.
In addition to his prison sentence, the court ordered him to pay GH¢5,400 as compensation to the victim. He is also required to cover the victim’s medical expenses as soon as the bills are made available to the court.
Background of case
Prosecution led by Chief Inspector Opoku
Aniagyei told the Court that the complainant aged 33 was a hairdresser apprentice residing at Abeka, Accra.
Chief Inspector Aniagyei said the victim was a pupil and the daughter of the complainant.
Prosecution said accused, now convict, lived at Danfa, Accra with the family.
The Court heard that about a year ago, the victim’s paternal grandmother took her to stay with her at Danfa.
Prosecution said Larbi was a brother-in-law to the victim’s grandmother, and they all lived in the same house.
On May 15, 2022, the victim’s grandmother and Larbi brought the victim to the complainant and complained that the victim was being stubborn, and they could no longer stay with her.
The Prosecution said on the same day, after they had left, the victim started scratching her vagina and told the complainant that her vagina was itching her and that she was also experiencing pains in her vagina.
The complainant quizzed the victim, but she did not say anything.
Chief Inspector Aniagyei said on May 17,
2022, the complainant observed that
anytime the victim slept, ‘she had to open
her laps, and this went on several days.”
Prosecution said the complainant suspected that “someone might have done something wrong to her.”
Chief Inspector Aniagyei said the
complainant therefore informed her mistress about what she had observed about the victim.
The Court heard that the complainant and mistress sat the victim down and quizzed her thoroughly and she revealed to them that Larbi had sex with her.
Prosecution said the victim disclosed that Larbi had sex with her on five occasions, adding the last sexual intercourse Larbi had with her was on May 13, 2022, in the night.
According to prosecution, the victim
disclosed that during the first sexual
encounter, blood oozed from her vagina and Larbi asked her to use her pants to clean it and he collected the pant.
Prosecution said the complainant on hearing that lodged complaint with the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police service in Accra.
Chief Inspector Aniagyei said the Police sent the victim to the hospital where she
examined, treated and a report was
submitted on her.
Larbi was later arrested, the Prosecution
said.
