Man on trial for defilement

Monday, June 22, 2009 (Page 47)

A TWENTY-YEAR-OLD man is standing trial for allegedly defiling an eight-year-old girl.
Mohammed Adjetey Fio allegedly locked up the victim (name withheld) in his room at Teshie, a suburb of Accra, covered her mouth with his palm to stop her from shouting for help and defiled her during the latter part of January 2009.
He has pleaded not guilty to one count of defilement and has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢20,000 with two sureties.
According to the facts of the case, the victim and her three other friends visited the accused person in his room.
The accused person allegedly despatched the victim’s friends and later sent her to purchase 20Gp worth of bread for him.
Upon returning with the bread, Adjetey Fio allegedly grabbed the victim, pushed her on a mattress, covered her mouth with his palm and allegedly had sex with her.
The victim kept the act to herself for fear of a reprisal from her parents until February 7, 2009 when she mustered courage and revealed the act to a witness in the case.
She mentioned the accused person as the one who defiled her.
The victim’s father subsequently lodged a complaint with the police leading to the arrest of the accused person.
The police gave the victim a medical form to attend hospital for examination, which later revealed that she had been defiled.
A prosecution witness has so far testified in the case.
Hearing continues on July 8, 2009.