A 58-year-old mason, Joshua Bledi, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Kwabenya Circuit Court after pleading guilty to impregnating his 17-year-old daughter.
According to Chief Inspector Gershon Togbe Achondo, the prosecutor, the victim is a hairdresser apprentice who gave birth seven months ago. When she had trouble paying her medical bills at the Ga East Hospital, the Social Welfare Department stepped in to help. It was during this process that the victim revealed her father was responsible for the pregnancy.
The victim told police that Bledi, her father, had been having sex with her repeatedly since she moved in with him at his home in Musuku, Kwabenya. A report was filed with the Kwabenya Domestic Violence and Victims’ Support Unit, leading to Bledi’s arrest.
During the court proceedings, Bledi pleaded guilty to incest and asked for mercy. The court considered his age, the premeditated nature of the crime, and his guilty plea before sentencing him to 10 years in jail. The prosecution had requested a harsh sentence, stating that such acts were a “cultural abomination” and that a severe punishment would serve as a deterrent.
Meanwhile, the Abuse Relief Corps, a non-profit organization, is providing support for the victim and her baby.
