A 21- year- old unemployed who allegedly defiled an 11- year- old sachet water seller at the Arts Centre in Accra on Tuesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
David Mensah charged allegedly took advantage of the victim when she went to a shop at the centre to collect money from the accused person’s twin brother who had earlier on bought sachet water.
Mensah pleaded not guilty to defilement and the court presided over by Ms Sedina Agbemava remanded him into Police custody to reappear on September 23.
This was after his counsel, Mr C.K Hoeyi had told the court that victim and the accused persons were neighbours and they were attempting to settle the matter.
Prosecuting Detective Inspector Kofi Atimbire told the court that the victim resides with her parents at Arts Centre while the accused person stays in his elder brother’s shop.
According to Inspector Atimbire, the victim assist's her mother to sell sachet water at the Arts Centre.
On August 23, the victim as usual went selling her sachet water around Arts Centre in the morning, when Mensah’s twin brother bought some of the water and asked her to come back for her money.
At 1130 hours, the victim went to the craft shop to collect her money but when she got there, the accused person’s twin brother was sleeping on a bench outside the shop.
Prosecution said unknown to the victim, Mensah got hold of the victim, dragged her into the inner room of the shop and had sex with her.
During the act, prosecution said the victim who bled immensely shouted for help but the accused person did not heed to her cry.
According to prosecution the victim’s blood stained Mensah’s ‘Lacose’ shirt which he was wearing.
Soon after the act, the victim went home to report the incident to her mother.
Inspector Atimbire said the victim took her mother to the crime scene where accused person was seen.
The victim’s father who heard about the incident reported the matter to the Police who apprehended him and handed Mensah over to the Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit.
Prosecution said the victim was issued with a medical report to be examined and treated at the Hospital.