A 14-year-old girl at Sawla in the Savanna Region has been found unresponsive in the room of a 35-year-old NIB banker, who, according to the police, defiled the minor continuously until she fell unconscious.

The suspect, Elorm Cofie Cudjoe, was detained by the Sawla police command in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba district and later arraigned on Thursday, 16 September 2021.

The girl’s mother told Class News in an interview that she went on a house-to-house search for her daughter in the neighbourhood after she failed to return home from the day’s hawking duties.

She said the family then filed a missing-person complaint with the police.

Confirming the incident, the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba Police Commander, ASP Adjei Degraft-Armah, told Class News’ Savanna correspondent Zion Rauf that the police took up investigations into the matter on Monday and around 1 pm, “we had information that suspect Elorm Cofie Cudjoe, 35, is a banker at the NIB Bank in Sawla”.

He said with the permission of the authorities at the bank, the suspect led them to his house where “lo and behold, the girl was lying on the floor very weak”.

“She has been defiled for three consecutive days from Sunday, the 12th to Tuesday, the 14th of this month [September]”, he said.

“She was rescued and the suspect was detained in our cells”, ASP Degraft-Armah added.

He continued: "As we speak, he has confessed [to] having carnal knowledge of the girl, who is below the age of 16 years".

“We have charged him for defiling an underage female child. The suspect has been charged with defilement", he stressed.

According to ASP Adjei Degraft-Armah, “the victim told us that about three months ago, she was going to school when the suspect met her and lured her into his room and since then, they have been sex partners.”

The police commander said the suspect called the victim into his room while she was hawking, locked her up and sexually took advantage of her.

“Due to her statement, the girl was sent to the Sawla Hospital where doctors confirmed that her hymen had been broken. There are bruises in the vagina wall also, actually confirming that she has been defiled”, the police noted. 

The victim is reported to have fainted in court on Thursday and was rushed to the Tamale Teaching Hospital for medical attention.

She is currently responding to treatment.