The Kwabenya Circuit Court has sentenced a 58-year-old mason, Joshua Bledi, to 10 years’ imprisonment for having sexual intercourse with his biological daughter, resulting in pregnancy.
Bledi pleaded guilty to the charge of incest and admitted the facts presented by the prosecution. He appealed to the court for mercy, but the presiding judge considered his age, the premeditated nature of the offence, and his decision not to waste the court’s time before passing sentence.
The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Gershon Togbe Achondo, told the court that such cases were becoming increasingly common and described the offence as a cultural abomination. He called for a severe sentence to serve as a deterrent to others.
The victim, a 17-year-old hairdresser apprentice, was living with her father in Musuku, Kwabenya, after her mother asked her to move in with him. She disclosed that Bledi had engaged in repeated sexual acts with her, leading to the pregnancy.
The matter came to light when she was admitted to the Ga East Hospital to deliver her baby but could not pay her medical bills. A social welfare worker intervened, and upon inquiry, the victim identified her father as responsible for the pregnancy.
The incident was reported to the Domestic Violence and Victims’ Support Unit, and a medical examination was conducted, leading to Bledi’s arrest.
Meanwhile, the Abuse Relief Corps, a non-profit organisation, has provided assistance to the victim and her seven-month-old baby.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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