Man, 67 and 25-yr-old son jailed 14 years over defilement of girl, 16

A 67-year-old farmer, Robert Nii Amartey, and his son, Nicholas Ayi, 25, were jailed seven years each over the defilement of a 16-year-old Junior High School student.

The girl in question got pregnant for Nicholas while they were in a relationship.

Robert's role was sending schnapps to the girl's family in a bid to settle the matter out of court.

Robert and Nicholas said they spent two years at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison before they were transferred to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, where they completed their sentences.

Narrating his story to Crime Check, Nicholas said he had been in a relationship with the girl for a year, despite several warnings from her parents to end it.

"I didn't listen when I was told to desist from engaging the girl in a sexual relationship until she got pregnant in the second year of our relationship. We loved each other," he recounted.

The pregnancy led both father and son to prison, after Robert had taken schnapps to the girl's family to acknowledge and accept responsibility for the pregnancy on behalf of Nicholas.

Robert said the girl's father had demanded some drinks from him and, thinking as demanded by culture, he had to visit the girl's family with the drinks.

"The girl's father approached me and asked that we settle the matter amicably. He even requested GH¢1,600 from me, which I paid. Later, as part of cultural courtesies, I thought of sending drinks to acknowledge the pregnancy since the matter had happened already," he said.

Ignorantly, Robert thought he was saving a situation, little did he know he was signing his own sentencing order.

According to Robert, unbeknownst to him, the girl's father had reported the matter to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, after which he and Nicholas were invited.

"My son and I were subsequently arraigned before the court. I was sentenced to 7 years for abetment and my son also to 7 years," Robert said.

Their invitation to court came at a surprise to them as

the case was withdrawn from the police following the payment of the GH¢1,600 demanded by the girl's family.

Robert said in court, he was not allowed to give further explanation after he admitted taking drinks to the girl's family to settle the matter.

The farmer and his son said they pleaded guilty in court, leading to their sentences.

Robert, a farmer, has lost his farm after returning and is now jobless, while Nicholas seeks a new path as a driver after his education was truncated.

Crime Check Foundation appeals to the general public to support Robert and his son to get back on track in life.