News
Air condition installer jailed 20 years for defilement
Gavel
A 40-year-old air condition installer, Joshua Arhin, has been handed 20 years imprisonment in hard labour by the Tarkwa Circuit Court, for defiling a 13-year-old girl at Booboobo in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.
He pleaded guilty and begged the court for forgiveness and promised not to repeat such a shameful act.
Superintendent Juliana Essel-Dadzie, who led the prosecution told the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu, that the complainant is a mechanic and father of the victim, a Junior High School student.
She said both the complainant and the convict resided at Booboobo and that on May 25, 2024, around 8pm, the victim visited her sister at her drinking spot and was later asked to go home by herself as it was getting late.
She said after some minutes, the victim’s sister, who is a witness in this case, called their mother on the phone to inquire if the victim had gotten home, but the answer was a negative.
The prosecution said the complainant, victim’s mother and sister initiated a search for the victim and at about 9:30pm the same day, they saw her coming from the back of an uncompleted school building at Booboobo, interrogated her but she kept quiet and left to the house.
On June 1, 2024, the victim who was experiencing severe abdominal pain, confessed to the complainant that on May 25 while she was on her way home, Arhin was then at the back of an uncompleted school building, called her and after engaging her for some time he lured her into his bedroom and assaulted her sexually after which he gave her a two-tablet drug and ordered her to swallowed it.
The complainant reported the case to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Tarkwa, where a police medical report form was issued to the complainant to send the victim to the hospital for treatment and endorsement.
She said the complainant returned the form duly endorsed by a medical officer who attended to the victim at the Apinto Government Hospital.
The court heard that Arhin went into hiding after committing the offence, but on July 21, 2024, he was picked up at the complainant’s house when he paid a visit with some elders to render an apology.
President John Mahama has arrived in Moscow, Russia, from Ethiopia to participate in the 3rd Russia-Africa Summit.
The summit is being hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During the visit, President Mahama will join fellow African leaders at the Economic and Humanitarian Forum and summit plenary sessions.
He is also scheduled to hold high-level bilateral talks with President Putin and attend a Kente exhibition organised by the Russia-Ghana Parliamentary Forum.
As part of the visit, the President will receive honorary doctorate degrees from the Russian University of Transport and the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia.
He will also engage Russian businesses and state institutions to advance bilateral cooperation between Ghana and Russia.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The Greater Accra Regional Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Moses Abor, has met with the Bono Regional Chairman of the party, Kwame Baffoe, popularly known as Abronye DC, to address concerns arising from recent social media developments.
In a statement shared , Mr. Abor said he yesterday visited Chairman Baffoe over comments he made on his show, which had raised concern among some party activists.
According to him, he also engaged Charles Opoku Presidoo and ironed out grievances he had earlier held regarding the matter.
Mr. Abor said he was pleased that in the spirit of unity and the party’s shared commitment to return to power in 2028, they had a constructive conversation and addressed the concerns amicably.
“With the matter now resolved, I encourage all Party activists to let the matter rest and redirect our energy toward holding the NDC accountable for its failures and misleading claims,” he said.
He urged party members to continue making the case to Ghanaians on why Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is the right person to lead the country in 2028.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
