Court remands satellite installer for allegedly defiling 3 girls | Nsemkeka
Asante Emmanuel, a 27-year-old satellite installer, has been remanded into police custody by the Asante Akropong Circuit Court in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District for defiling three girls at Atwima Agogo.
Emmanuel Bonsu pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement and will reappear before the court on June 17 this year.
Police Chief Inspector Evans Ayimbisah, prosecuting, told the court presided over by Mrs Gloria Mensah Bonsu that the cases happened at Atwima Agogo as per the Ghana News Agency.
He said, on November 29, 2024, the first victim, a 14-year-old Form Two pupil, was washing her clothes outside the house while her mother had gone to town.
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He said the accused, who was passing by, lured her into an uncompleted building, pulled out a screwdriver, pointed it at her and ordered her to touch his nipples, for which she complied.
The accused person forcibly had sexual intercourse with her, took to his heels after the act, and left the victim bleeding from her vagina.
The prosecution said on February 2 this year, at about 1500 hours, the second victim, a 15-year-old second-year senior high school student, visited her friend after classes and, when returning home, met the accused person who held her hand and dragged her into an uncompleted building.
This time, he pulled out a knife and instructed her to obey his instructions to avoid any harm.
He undressed her, inserted his penis into her vagina and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her, and cleaned the victim’s vagina with a rag, after which he ordered her to leave.
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On April 28, the third victim, an 11-year-old junior high school pupil, was home with her other siblings when a witness in the case sent her on an errand, the prosecution told the court.
On her way, she met the accused, who sexually abused her by spitting on his penis before inserting it into her vagina.
Chief Inspector Ayimbisah explained that the complainants, who were mothers of the victims, reported the cases to the Abuakwa police, leading to the arrest of the accused on May 16 at Atwima Agogo.
An identification parade was conducted, and the victims identified the accused person as the one who defiled them.
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In his caution statement, he denied the offence, but after further investigations, he was charged and brought before the court.
What does the law say?
In Ghana, defilement is a serious criminal offence defined under Section 101(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
It refers to the act of having sexual intercourse, whether natural or unnatural, with a child under the age of sixteen, regardless of whether the child gives consent.
The law clearly states that children under 16 cannot legally consent to any sexual activity, so any such act is automatically considered defilement.
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This law applies to both boys and girls who are under the age of sixteen. Whether the sexual act is committed through force, coercion, or even in situations where the child appears willing, it is still treated as a crime.
The emphasis of the law is on protecting minors from exploitation and abuse, recognising that children are not in a position to make informed decisions about sexual matters.
Punishment for defilement is severe. Offenders face a minimum prison sentence of seven (7) years and can be jailed for up to twenty-five (25) years, depending on the circumstances of the case.
Factors such as the age of the victim, use of violence, and repeated offences can influence the length of the sentence.