Accra (Greater Accra) 28 August 2001
An employee of Ghana Railway Corporation, who allegedly took advantage of his wife's mental illness and defiled his 12-year-old daughter, was arraigned before a Circuit Tribunal in Accra on Monday charged with incest.
The 38 year old, pleaded not guilty and said his daughter only came to his house to cook for him during the day and went to sleep with her grandmother.
"I have never had sex with my daughter, may God forbid and forgive me," the accused said.
The tribunal, chaired by Elizabeth Anderson Yeboah granted him a 10 million-cedi bail with one surety to be justified to reappear on September 6.
The prosecutor, Inspector Mary Agbozo told the tribunal that the accused and his daughter live at Fise, near Amasaman. The victim's mother is mentally ill and this keeps her away from the house.
The prosecution said when the accused started having sex with the victim in his room, she reported the matter to her grandmother but she ignored her because she did not believe it.
As the victim persistently complained about her father's behaviour, some concerned neighbours arrested him and handed him over to the police at Pokuase.
The matter was referred to the Women and Juvenile Unit of the Police Service.
The prosecution said the medical report on her indicated that, "the victim's cervix was widely opened with her vagina swollen."
GRi../
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