Daniel Kuatusah, a professional teacher at the Akatsi RC Basic School, has been jailed 12 years in hard labour for defiling a 13-year-old junior high school girl.
Kuatusah, 30, who taught Basic Design and Technology before his arrest, was sentenced by the Sogakope Circuit Court on Tuesday, March 26, charged with defilement of a child under age 16 years, according to the Criminal Offences Act 554 (11).
Chief Inspector Paul Aidoo, the prosecutor, told the court that the convict, a native of Woe but resident of Akatsi in the Volta Region, on February 27, 2020, at about 1500 hours, invited the victim through a witness and requested that she sent his notebook to his house.
The convict later called his girlfriend to give the victim her key to keep the books in her room, and he subsequently followed the victim to the house and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her in his girlfriend’s room, prosecution said.
The victim, who sustained vaginal injury, reported her ordeal to her grandmother with evidence of her torn underwear and blood-stained pants.
Chief Inspector Aidoo said the convict was subsequently arrested on February 28, 2020, after a complaint was lodged with the police by the victim’s grandmother.
During a police investigation, it came to light that the convict called his girlfriend and asked her to delete his contact numbers from her phone, which she obliged.
The prosecution stated that the convict, in a caution statement, denied knowing his girlfriend.
“Witness was subsequently arrested, and she also corroborated the convict’s statement. The witness was granted bail but later confessed to the police that the convict was her boyfriend during an appearance at the police station the next morning”.
Chief Inspector Aidoo said the witness confirmed that the convict called her whilst at Akatsi main market trading and demanded the key to her room for relaxation, which she willingly sent to him.
During an appearance on Tuesday, the court, presided over by Mr Mac-Ali Junior, a Circuit Court judge, after a full trial, found the convict guilty and consequently convicted him.
GNA
MA/CAA/ABD
28 March 2024
Pic attached
