Driver jailed 20 years for defilement; lured victim with meat

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 39-year-old driver, Daniel Hodzi, to 20 years imprisonment for defiling a six-year-old girl at Dansoman, Accra.

Hodzi is said to have defiled the victim on four occasions and during the last incident, he lured the victim with meat.

Hodzi pleaded guilty and was convicted of his own plea.

He, however, blamed the devil for his actions, saying after committing the crime, he apologised to the victim’s mother, who confronted him.

Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Agnes Boafo told the court that the complainant was a trader living at Ebenezer Down, Dansoman with the victim, her daughter.

The prosecution said the complainant and Hodzi were co-tenants and that on February 5, this year, at about 4:30 pm while the complainant was doing her laundry in the house, Hodzi lured the victim into his room under the pretext of giving her meat and having sex with her.

It said luck, however, eluded Hodzi when the complainant called the victim to come and assist her and she (victim) narrated her ordeal to her mother.

The prosecution said the complainant undressed the victim and she saw “sperm-like” liquid in her vagina and took photographs of it.

It said the complainant confronted Hodzi who admitted the offence and pleaded for leniency.

The prosecution said with the help of some neighbours, Hodzi was arrested and escorted to the Dansoman Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit and he was detained for further investigations.

It said the complainant was issued with a Police medical form to seek treatment for the victim.

During interrogation, Hodzi said he only brushed the surface of the victim’s vagina and did not penetrate.