Mason, 23, jailed 15 years for defilement

The Bekwai Circuit Court has handed a 15 years jail sentence to a 23-year-old mason, Ebenezer Birikwai, popularly known as Immortal, for defilement.

Immortal was handed the sentence after admitting to have defiled a four-year-old girl at Manso Afedie in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region. 

After initially pleading not guilty, Immortal changed his plea to guilty when he reappeared before the court presided by Justice Isaac Apietu. The conviction and sentence followed harrowing testimony and medical evidence that confirmed the assault. 

According to prosecutors, the crime occurred on April 16, 2026, around midday.

Immortal allegedly lured a group of children by handing them his mobile phone to watch a game while he sat nearby. Seizing the distraction, he placed the four-year-old victim on his lap, shifted her underwear aside, and had sexual intercourse with her. 

The victim’s aunt, passing by, noticed the child’s distressed facial expression and intervened.

She reportedly found the accused’s manhood inside the girl, with seminal fluid on her thighs. Her shouts drew residents, including the victim’s mother, who rushed to the scene. 

The Unit Committee Chairman quickly alerted the Manso Adubia Police, who arrived in time to prevent mob justice.

Immortal was taken into custody and later transferred to the Divisional Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) for further investigation. 

A medical examination at St. Martin’s Catholic Hospital, Agroyesum, confirmed the assault as the police medical form revealed that the victim’s hymen had been broken. 

Detective Chief Inspector Eric Twum, prosecuting, told the court that the accused admitted the offence in a caution statement taken in the presence of an independent witness, pleading for forgiveness. 

Immortal was charged under Section 101 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), as amended by Act 554, which criminalises defilement of a child under 16 years.

The law prescribes a minimum of seven years’ imprisonment, with sentences extending up to 25 years. 

The court convicted him on his own plea and imposed a 15-year custodial sentence. 

Police commended residents for the swift intervention and urged communities to remain vigilant in safeguarding children.

They encouraged the public to promptly report suspected cases of child abuse to the nearest police station or DOVVSU office.

From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi