A 20-year-old teacher has been handed a twelve-year prison sentence with hard labor by the Tarkwa Circuit Court in the Western Region for the sexual abuse of a 14-year-old girl.
The convicted individual, identified as Jephthah Agyarko, admitted to the crime during his appearance before the court, presided over by Judge Hathia Ama Manu. However, the judge postponed the sentencing.
According to a report from the Ghana News Agency, the complainant in this case is a farmer who resides with her 14-year-old daughter, the victim, in Tetrem within the Tarkwa-Nsuaem municipality.
Chief Inspector Joseph Lartey, the prosecutor, provided further details, explaining that Agyarko was not only the victim’s former teacher but also a fellow churchgoer with her and her parents.
Agyarko and the victim shared a close relationship, and he had invited her to attend a watch night service held by their church on June 23, 2023.
However, the victim declined the invitation, expressing confidence that her parents would be in attendance.
On the aforementioned evening, around 8:00 PM, the victim found herself alone at home when she heard a knock at the door.
Upon investigating, she discovered Agyarko standing outside their main gate. Questioning his presence at such an unusual hour, the victim received an explanation from Agyarko, who claimed he was en route to Tetrem to visit someone and had decided to check on her instead.
Exploiting the victim’s hospitality, Agyarko gained access to their living room and forcefully engaged in sexual activity with her. Fearing punishment from her parents, the victim chose to keep this traumatic experience to herself.
However, she remained deeply disturbed by Agyarko’s actions and decided to communicate her distress through a written letter addressed to him.
Upon receiving the victim’s letter, Agyarko concealed it within one of his books. Fortunately, the headmaster of the victim’s school discovered the letter while conducting an inspection.
This discovery prompted the headmaster to question Agyarko and subsequently contact the victim’s parents on August 13, 2023, detailing the entire situation to them.
The victim’s parents swiftly lodged a complaint with the police, resulting in the arrest and prosecution of the offender.
Teacher jailed 12 years for defiling 14-year-old girl in Tarkwa#UTVNews pic.twitter.com/AgIT7WW8KY
— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) September 6, 2023
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
