Akwasi Asante, a 20-year-old driver's mate, charged with defilement, was on Wednesday sentenced to seven years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court.
This was after the court had found him guilty for defiling a 14-year-old iced water seller in a shed near Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
When Asante was asked if he had something to say before sentence was passed, he told the trial judge that "I don't have anybody here to take care
of me. I can't get somebody to buy me food, please have mercy on me."
In her response, the trial judge, Mrs Georgina Mensah-Datsa said: "Don't worry the Government of Ghana would freely feed you while serving your
seven-year jail term. I am sorry all I can do is to sentence you to the minimum sentence which is seven years."
Asante sadly stepped out of the dock and joined his colleagues on a bench in the court room to commence his seven-year jail term.
Prosecution's case was that on March 14, this year, at about 1600 hours Asante spotted the victim selling iced water and invited her under the
pretext of buying some water.
It said the convict dragged the victim into a shed, covered her mouth with his hand and defiled her.
The prosecution said it was the victim's shouts during the act that attracted personnel of the AMA Task Force to her rescue.
The case was reported to the Police and a medical form issued to the victim for medical examination while Asante was handed over to the Police.
A medical report issued indicated that victim's hymen had been broken and there was blood in her vagina.