Accra: Judge Sentences Ghanaian Footballer to 12 Years in Prison Over Sexual Assault of a 13-year-old

After being found guilty of defiling a 13-year-old girl on three separate occasions in Mamprobi, Richard Mensah, a 27-year-old footballer, was given a 12-year prison sentence by a Circuit Court in Accra.

The Ghana News Agency reports that Richard Mensah was found guilty on three counts of defilement by a court presided over by Mrs Christina Cann.

Chief Inspector Simon Tekpor, head of the prosecution team, said that the convicted individual shared a home with the victim and the complainant, who is a businesswoman and the victim's sister.

Mensah exploited the victim on March 11, 2022, after his girlfriend travelled to Akraman, Accra, to attend a funeral. He invited the victim into his room to help his children with their homework assignments.

The prosecution claims that after the victim assisted the prisoner's children with their homework, the culprit asked the children to wait outside while he and the victim stayed inside.

Mensah then proceeded to have vaginal andanorectall sex with the victim while in the room.

“On March 12, 2022, it said at about 4:00 pm the victim was in the company of Mensah’s children and Mensah again invited her into his room and had sex with her."

“The prosecution said on March 14, 2022, at about 1:00 pm, the accused called the victim and asked her to assist his girlfriend to prepare food."

“The victim obliged and after the food was prepared, Mensah’s girlfriend went out."

“The prosecution said Mensah took advantage of his girlfriend’s absence and had sex with the victim,” the GNA reports.

The complainant, the victim's sister, went looking for her on the third day of the assault and found her in Mensah's room at around 9:00 p.m. This discovery led to the exposure of Mensah's criminal acts. The victim then admitted that the athlete had sexual relations with her.

After the victim's sister reported the incident to the police, Mensah was taken into custody and charged with the crime.