The Tarkwa circuit court has sentenced a 56-year-old farmer to 24 years imprisonment in hard labour for defiling a 10-year-old pupil.

The convict, Kwaku Sarfo, who is popularly known as Kantanka was convicted on his own plea when he appeared before the court presided over by Hathia Ama Manu.

Although, Sarfo pleaded for mercy, the court rejected his plea and imposed the sentence on him to deter men of his calibre from committing such offences against innocent girls in Tarkwa and its environs.

Superintendent of Police, Juliana Essel-Dadzie, prosecuting told the court that the complainant was a farmer and father to the victim, a primary four pupil, and both resided at Anokwa in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality with Sarfo.

She said on Thursday, March 28, 2024, around 1300 hours, the victim was sent by her parents to fetch water from a nearby stream for domestic use.

Prosecution said while on the way, Sarfo who was the complainant’s neighbour, called the victim and gave her a white margarine container to fetch water for him.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said when the victim returned with the water, Sarfo asked her to take it to his room, and she did, and he followed her, locked the door and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her.

Sarfo, after satisfying his sexual desire, threatened the victim not to disclose it to anyone and asked her to go home.

Prosecution said the following day, the complainant noticed the victim was bleeding from her vagina and he interrogated her, but she kept quiet, and the complainant together with the wife took her to the Prestea Government Hospital for treatment.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the victim informed the medical officer who examined her at the facility about her ordeal in the hands of Sarfo.

The complainant was immediately informed and he lodged a case with the Prestea police, and he was issued a medical report form in respect of victim to be taken to the hospital for endorsement.

Prosecution said after the act Sarfo went into hiding, but on Saturday, March 30, 2024, he was picked up in Prestea by the police.