Galamsey Worker Jailed 7 Years For Abduction, Defilement
An 18-year-old driver and illegal miner, popularly known as a galamsey worker, has been sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment by the Bekwai Circuit Court for abducting and defiling a 13-year-old girl.
The convict, Jeffrey Owusu, also known as Ola Nkwan, a resident of Pakyi No. 2 in the Ashanti Region, was found guilty of defilement under Section 91 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The court, presided over by His Honour Isaac Appietu, convicted the accused after the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Presenting the facts, Inspector Gifty Asare-Brenya told the court that the complainant, Afia Bio, a 70-year-old roasted plantain seller at Sabin Akrofrom near Trede, is the grandmother and guardian of the victim.
According to the prosecution, the convict abducted the girl in the latter part of 2025 and kept her at his residence at Pakyi No. 2. Efforts by her guardian to locate her proved unsuccessful after the accused allegedly fled the area with the victim to Nnenhini near Manso.
The matter was reported to the Trede Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service. Despite public announcements through various media platforms, the victim could not immediately be traced.
Police investigations led to the arrest of the suspect on May 26, 2026, after he returned to Trede without the victim. During interrogation, he admitted taking the girl away and keeping her for several months.
Further intelligence gathered by investigators led to a search operation at Wampam, a village near Ayamfuri, where the victim was rescued on June 3, 2026.
Medical examination and investigations supported the prosecution’s case, after which the accused was charged with abduction and defilement.
He was subsequently arraigned before the Bekwai Circuit Court, where he was convicted and sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment.
A police investigator who confirmed the conviction to Daily Guide said the sentence should serve as a deterrent to persons who commit offences against children.
