A court has sentenced a 28 year old man, Benjamin Kwabena, also known as Wofa Atta, to 18 years imprisonment after finding him guilty of sexually abusing three young siblings at Ahenema Kokoben near Trede.
The victims are two boys aged 11 and 4, and their female twin sibling. They are children of Mary Aboagye, a 46 year old charcoal seller. According to the case presented in court, the convict exploited a friendship between his elder sister and the children’s mother to gain access to the family and the minors.
Evidence before the court indicated that Wofa Atta frequently visited the victims’ home with his bicycle and offered rides to the children. Prosecutors said he used these visits to build trust and familiarity, which later enabled him to lure the children to his residence.
The court heard that the first victim was sexually abused on three occasions, the second victim on two occasions, and the third victim on one occasion. Details of the abuse were presented during the trial, with the court satisfied that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The offences came to light when the youngest child reportedly warned one of her siblings not to follow the accused again and disclosed what had happened. The matter was subsequently reported to their mother, leading to a police complaint and the arrest of the accused.
After considering the evidence and the seriousness of the offences, the court convicted Wofa Atta and sentenced him to 18 years imprisonment. The sentence is to serve as punishment for the harm caused to the victims and as a deterrent to others.
Authorities have reiterated the importance of vigilance in the protection of children and encouraged parents and guardians to report suspected abuse promptly. As with all concluded cases, the conviction followed due legal process.