A teacher who sexually abused a three-year-old girl over a period of two years has been sentenced to a 12-year jail term by an Accra Circuit Court.
Ishmael Tagoe, 22, charged with defilement, pleaded not guilty during his first appearance.
However, when he appeared before the court on Monday, Tagoe changed his plea to guilty.
The court presided over by Mrs. Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku, therefore convicted him on his plea.
According to the court, in sentencing Tagoe, it took into consideration the fact that the accused did not waste the court’s time.
The court noted that considering the two-year period that the accused person abused the victim, he (Tagoe) deserved no mercy, although he was fairly young.
Defence counsel, Mr. George Asamaney prayed the court to deal with Tagoe leniently because he had shown remorse and had regretted his actions.
The counsel said it was stupidity and youthful exuberance that compelled his client to commit the act, adding that there was nothing attractive about the victim.
Counsel, who further attributed his client’s conduct to the work of the devil said the victim did not have any big breasts or buttocks to attract Tagoe.
“Considering the fact that Tagoe did not waste the court’s time, I pray that the court deals leniently with him by giving him the minimum sentence,” defence counsel said.
Meanwhile, before the court could convict Tagoe, his mother and the victim’s mother broke down in tears in court.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire said the complainant is a decorator and mother of the victim. The convict is a pupil teacher teaching in a school [name withheld] at Caprice in Accra.
The prosecution said the victim and other kids in the school have been playing together at the said school compound and she visited the convict in his classroom.
Prosecution said Tagoe took advantage of that and defiled her for two years. On May 24, this year, the victim’s mother was bathing her but when the mother decided to wash her private parts she resisted.
The mother on suspicion interrogated the victim who revealed how the accused had continuously defiled her since she was three years.
On May 26, this year, the complainant reported the matter to the Tesano Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) and Tagoe was arrested.
A medical report form was issued to the complainant to seek medical attention.
–
Source: GNA
