Father jailed 10 years for defilement and incest

Atakli Christopher, a farmer, aged 48 years, has appeared before a Sogakope Circuit Court charged for defilement and incest, after allegedly abusing his 13-year-old biological daughter.

Atakli, a resident of Mafi Devime in the Central Tongu District faces two counts: defilement of a female under sixteen years of age and incest, contrary to sections 101 and 105 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act 29/60 respectively.

According to the prosecution, led by D/Inspector Nene Oman VI, the alleged offences occurred in November 2025 at Mafi Devime.

The court indicated that in 2022, the accused relocated the victim from her mother’s care in Dawhenya to Mafi Devime. Upon enrolling her in school, the accused began a pattern of repeated sexual abuse that continued for several years.

The court heard that the victim sought help from her paternal grandfather and an aunt on multiple occasions, but no action was taken to intervene.

The victim reportedly developed a genital infection characterized by an abnormal discharge because of the abuse which went on for some time

Fearing further abuse, the victim eventually fled her father’s home and sought refuge in the Mepe township in the North Tongu District.

The prosecution noted that, following her disclosure of the ordeal to the authorities, the local Assemblyman intervened, and the matter was reported to the police.

The Ghana News Agency gathered that the Police and the investigators from the National Investigation Bureau (NIB) subsequently issued a medical report for the victim’s examination and treatment after they visited the scene of the crime and took forensic photographs.

Mr Joseph Naadado Mcaly, the Sogakope Circuit Court Judge, thus sentenced Atakli Christopher to a 10-year jail term on his own plea.

Residents expressed frustration on the rising defilement and incest incidents in the enclave and called for swift stakeholder intervention.

They lauded the Police and the NIB for their day-to-day support for the vulnerable victims and urged that they continue to protect the lives of the residents.

Source: GNA