Thursday 23rd January, 2020
By Erica Apeatua
Addo, GNA
Tarkwa (W/R),
January 23, GNA – A 28-year-old prophet, Richard Essien, who allegedly defiled a
fifteen-year-old pupil and her friend has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment
in hard labour by a Tarkwa Circuit Court.
The convict who
worship with the Bogoso branch of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) pleaded
guilty to the charge of defilement.
Prosecuting, Chief
Inspector Faustina Celestina Anaman, told the court presided over by Mr
Emmanuel Barte-plange Brew, that during the month of September 2019 the convict
went to the CAC branch at Nkakaa in the Amenfi Central District to organize a
church revival programme.
She said the victim
and her friend who is 14 years old and both members of the said church were
asked to fetch water for the convict and also wash his clothing.
Chief Inspector
Anaman said Essien convinced the victim and her friend to come and live with
him so that they could be preparing his meals for him.
The Prosecution said
the victim and her friend obliged and he took advantage of the situation and
started having sexual intercourse with the two and warned them not to tell
anyone or else they would die.
The prosecution said
for the fear of disgrace, the convict during one of his so-called prophetic
service called the victim in front of the congregation and prophesized that he
has seen in the spiritual realm that she was pregnant and that the boyfriend
wanted to terminate the pregnancy.
She said the convict
then warned the victim that if she attempts to abort the baby, she would lose
her life.
She said the
victim’s parents got alarmed and questioned her, where she narrated her ordeal
to her parents who in turn reported the matter to the Asankragwa Police who
arrested the convict.
GNA