Mason sentenced to 8 years for defiling minor

A 30-year-old mason, Dennis Darf, has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to defiling a minor.

The conviction was handed down by the Gender-Based Violence Court, with Judge Dora Eshun presiding over the case following Darf's guilty plea.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Opoku Aniagyei, presented compelling evidence that the victim—a girl aged between 12 and 14—was the daughter of the complainant, her father. The appalling incident took place in Danchira, a community in the Greater Accra Region, where the accused, the victim, and her father all live in close proximity.

This sentence serves as a stark reminder of the court’s commitment to holding perpetrators of gender-based violence accountable.

According to Chief Inspector Aniagyei, the victim periodically supervised the complainant's wife's provision store in front of their home while her mother was absent.

The prosecution stated that Darf frequently buys goods from the victim and is a customer of the victim's mother. As a result, Darf and the victim became friends, and he would often visit the shop to chat with her when her mother was not around.

In June 2024, at around 8:00 P.M., Darf went to the stand in front of the complainant's main gate and saw the victim bathing in an unfinished building. Taking advantage of the situation, he proceeded to sexually assault her.

The prosecution revealed that after the act, Darf threatened to kill the victim if she told her parents, leaving her too frightened to speak out.

In July 2024, the victim’s mother took her to their hometown of Sunyani Noransa to perform some rituals. However, the priest preparing to conduct the rites informed the mother that the victim had been defiled and, as a result, could not undergo the ceremonies.

This revelation prompted the mother to question her daughter, who then tearfully shared the harrowing details of what had happened.

After being questioned by her mother, the victim described her experience. According to Chief Inspector Aniagyei, the complainant was informed by the victim's mother upon their return from the trip.

The complainant received a medical report advising that the victim be taken to the hospital for assessment and care.

According to the prosecution, the complainant provided the police with the authorised medical documentation. With the help of friends, the complainant apprehended Darf on 9th August 2024 and took him to the Weija Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit.

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