Man jailed 10yrs for Sodomy

By Helena Selby
An Accra circuit court has sentenced a 21 year old unemployed man to 10 years imprisonment for sodomizing an-11-year-old boy. The convict, Benjamin Sam, forcibly dragged the victim into a structure and inserted his penis into the victim's anus.

The decision of the court, presided over by Sedinam Agbemeva followed from a plea of guilty entered in by the accused person, who was charged with defiling a child under 16 years of age, contrary to section 101 of Act 29/60.

According to the court, the convict is a danger to society. It was the case of state prosecutors that on July 30, 2012, at about 1:00pm, the victim went to the sea-side to play football with his friends, and on his way home, Sam called him but the victim refused to attend to him, and immediately took to his heels.

According to the prosecutor, Chief Inspector I.A.A. Ahor, when the convict saw the victim running away, he gave him a hot chase and caught up with him, and pulled him into a wooden structure.

'The convict removed the victim's knickers and inserted his penis into his anus', the prosecutor told the court, adding that after defiling the victim, he ordered him to leave the scene.

The prosecutor further mentioned that the victim started weeping, attracting the attention of a group of people around, and after listening to the victim, apprehended the convict and handed him over to the police.

The prosecutor noted that Sam, however, admitted the offence in his cautioned statement.

Meanwhile, in another Circuit court, a salesman was sentenced to five years imprisonment in hard labour, for stealing Nestle product worth GH¢13,000 from his employer.

The convict, Alfred Kwodwo Sardi was in charge of a Kia Pregio Van with registration number GT 6865 Z, belonging to the complainant's company.

The complainant, on that fateful day, loaded the said van with Nestle products worth GH¢13,000 but the convict refused to account for them after distribution.

He pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing, contrary to section 124 (1) of Act 29/60, and the court, presided over by Mrs. Patience Mills-Tetteh sentenced him to a fine of GH¢15,000 in default 5 year imprisonment.

Summarizing the fact of the case the prosecutor Superintendent Kofi Blagodzi stated that on June 20, 2012, the convict went out to sell the product and on his return could not account for the product, worth GH¢13,000.

He said the complainant confronted him but he became offended, parked the said van and went into hiding. According to him, a report was lodged with the Accra police and the convict was arrested, adding that during interrogation he admitted to the offence.