A 19-year-old jobless man has been sentenced to 7 years imprisonment in hard labour by a Tarkwa Circuit court for raping a nine-year-old girl.

The convict, Joseph Cobbinah, pleaded guilty and was convicted on his plea.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Faustina Celestina Anaman told the court that the complainant is an akpeteshie distiller and lived with the girl at Samreboi Jehovah Nissi, while Cobbinah is a resident at Samreboi Amanfrom all in the Western Region.

On October 29, last year at about 2200 hours, Inspector Anaman said one Maafua asked the victim to accompany her to visit his friend Ebenezer Tweneboah who lived with Ebenezer Essien.

The prosecution said when Maafua and the victim arrived, Tweneboah was not at home, but Cobbinah was there.

Inspector Anaman said after Maafua had waited and there was no sign of Tweneboah returning; she pleaded with Essien to allow her and the victim to spend the night in his room as it was already late and he agreed.

She said that at about 2300 hours while Essien, Cobbinah, Maafua and the victim were asleep in the same room, the convict quietly woke up and forcefully had sexual intercourse with the victim after which he threatened to kill her if she discloses the incident to anyone.

The prosecution said a week later the complainant noticed that the victim could not walk properly and had developed an offensive odour on her person.

Inspector Anaman said the complainant informed his husband, and when the victim was questioned, she mentioned the convict as the one who had sex with her.

She said a report was made to the police and a medical report form was issued to the victim to seek medical care at the Enchi Government Hospital.

She said Cobbinah was arrested and handed over to the police.