There will Be No Virgins In Ghana, If..... -Judge

Nana Adjei Baffour, a Cape Coast Regional Tribunal Chairman on Wednesday gave a stern warning that any man brought before him on defilement or rape charge would be severely dealt with.

Within three weeks 10 defilement and rape cases had been brought before him, he noted, adding that "the rate at which such cases are unfolding if nothing is done to check them there will be no virgin in this country in the future".

He said: "These young girls are precious to the nation and everything must be done to protect them from such bad men in the society," he stated. Nana Baffour gave the warning when he remanded Nana Yaw Essirfie, a farmer in prison custody for defiling a 15 year-old girl at Assin Damang in the Assin District.

Nana Essirfie pleaded not guilty and would reappear on Wednesday February 6. The tribunal heard that sometime in the year 2000, Essirifie, the stepfather of the victim, on two occasions inserted his fingers into the victim's genitals and sexually abused her.

The victim, who feared that her mother might rebuke her, did not report the incident to her. Some time in May 2001 the victim's mother travelled to Twifo Praso and left her in the care of Essirifie and during the night he sexually abused the girl, who was sleeping in the same room with him.

The act forced the victim to wake up from her sleep and she started crying and pleading with him to release her but he refused and continued until she started bleeding from her genitals.

After the act the victim went to inform their next-door neighbour about her ordeal and pleaded with her to allow her to spend the night with her.

When her mother returned she narrated what she went through to her and a report was, therefore, made to the Assin Damang Police. When the accused heard that the Police were looking for him he went to a friend of the victim's mother to go and plead on his behalf, but the Police later arrested him.

In a related development Paul Obir, a driver was also remanded in prison custody to reappear on Wednesday February 6 for indecently assaulting an eight-year-old girl at Ekumfi Akuti.

Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Amissah told the tribunal that on May 7, 2000 at about 1:30pm Obir went to a drinking bar operated by the victim's parents and gave his small radio set to her to play with and in the process lured her into his room put her on his bed and inserted his fingers into her genitals.

After inserting his fingers the accused then tried having sex with the victim but his male genital could not penetrate so the girl started crying making him to release her to go home.

The victim later had difficulties in urinating and when questioned she narrated the ordeal she went through. A report was made to the police and the accused was arrested.

In his caution statement Obir admitted sending the girl to his room but said he was heavily drunk and did not know what happened afterwards.

Here are some of the headline of rape and defilement cases which made the news this week: “Gong-gong beater jailed seven years”, “Tailor dragged to court for defiling four-year-old girl”, “Pupil teacher faces defilement charge”, “Four-year-old girl defiled”, “Two old men jailed 7 years each for defilement”, “Driver's mate charged with defilement”, “Watchman, 67, defiles 12-year-old girl”, “An ex soldier on defilement charge granted bail”. God help our girl children.