Driver jailed 20 years for raping student
Sekondi (Western Region) 19 July 2000
A Sekondi High Court, presided over by Mr Justice S. K. Asiamah, has sentenced a 30-year-old driver to 20 years' imprisonment in hard labour for raping a 17-year-old student.
Kofi Eveni, who pleaded not guilty, was also ordered to pay 200,000 cedis to the girl or serve additional three years in jail.
The court heard that on the evening of October 22, 1996, the victim went to the Axim Lorry Park to board a vehicle for Nkroful around 7 p.m. to collect her school fees. She, however, found it difficult getting transport and so decided to go back home.
Just as she was about to leave the station, Eveni, who was driving a Nissan Pick-up with registration number GT. 2948 D, pulled up close to her and asked where she was going.
When the victim replied that she was going to Nkroful, Eveni readily offered to give her a lift but she declined the offer.
The prosecution said that in an attempt to allay the fears of the girl, the accused started calling out the names of her parents.
This convinced the victim who decided to join the vehicle. But instead of driving to Nkroful, Eveni sped off towards Asanta Beach around 11 p.m. amidst wailing by the girl.
The accused dragged his victim from the vehicle and sent her to a spot, about a kilometre away, and forcibly had sex with her.
After the act, Eveni drove the girl back to Axim with the intention of going to bed with her till the following day before taking her to Nkroful.
The girl, however, ran away and reported the matter to her mother who, in turn, reported the matter to the police.
A medical report on the victim confirmed that someone had forcibly had sex with her, resulting in bruises in her private parts.
GRi../