An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a mallam who detained a 14-year-old girl for two days and defiled her at Agbogboloshie to seven years imprisonment in hard labour. Â
Abdul Raman Shaibu, 35, charged with abduction and defilement pleaded guilty and was convicted on his own plea.
Shaibu admitted defiling the victim who is a school dropout.
The court presided over by Justice Rita Abrokwah Duku convicted him and sentenced him to two years on the charge of abduction and seven years on that of defilement.
The sentences were to run concurrently. The court said that it gave Shaibu the minimum sentence because he did not waste the court’s time following his guilty plea.
When the court gave Shaibu the opportunity to say something before the sentence was passed, he pleaded with the court to deal leniently with him.
“I don’t have anything to say. However, I beg the court to have mercy on me,†he said.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire said the complainant in the matter is a 28-year-old scrap dealer residing at Agbogboloshie, Accra.
Chief Inspector Atimbire said the victim also resides at Agbogboloshie and she is a sister in law of the complainant while Shaibu also lives within the same vicinity.
Prosecution said on January 16, this year, at about 1000 hours, the victim was sent by her sister to purchase rechargeable cards for her.
The Prosecution said on her way she lost the money meant for the purchase and for the fear of being punished decided to wait somewhere for the complainant to return home to plead on her behalf.
Mr Atimbire said the victim, whilst waiting, was sent by Shaibu to purchase for him sachet water.
He said when the victim brought the water she could not locate Shaibu but was directed to the convict’s door.
Chief Inspector Atimbire said the victim knocked at the door and Shaibu pulled her into his room forced her to sleep on his mattress on the floor, undressed her and had sex with her severally.
The Prosecution said after the act, Shaibu locked the victim in his room and left for the mosque to pray.
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He said the victim took advantage of his absence and escaped.
He said a neighbour saw the victim and informed the complainant who subsequently took her home.
The Prosecution said the complainant and her sister later quizzed the victim over her absence in the house for the past two days where she narrated to them what the convict did to her.
Mr Atimbire said a report was made at the Old Fadama Police Station where a medical report form was issued to the complainant to seek medical assistance for the victim.
The prosecution said when Shaibu was arrested by the Police, he admitted having sexual intercourse with the victim but once and denied threatening her.