35-year-old banker in police custody for allegedly defiling 14-year-old girl

A 35-year-old man, named Elorm Cofie Cudjoe, has been detained at the Sawla Police Station for allegedly defiling a 14-year-class five girl in his room for days.

Information gathered by JoyNews indicated that the victim, name withheld, was sent to the market by her parents to sell vegetables but after 6:00pm that fateful day, she failed to return home.

This prompted a search which led to the suspect’s house.

A complaint was made at the Sawla Police station after one of the sandals of the victim was first spotted outside the suspect’s yard.

In recounting the incident, the Sawla Tuna Kalba Police Commander, ASP Mr Adjei Degraft-Armah said, “Police took up investigations and yesterday, around another 1:00pm, we had information that suspect Elorm Cofie Cudjoe, age 35, is a banker at the NIB Bank.”

He further recounted that with the permission of the authorities at the bank, the suspect escorted the Police to his house.

“Lo and behold, the girl was lying on the floor very weak. She has been defiled for three consecutive days from the 12th to the 14th of this month (September). She was rescued and the suspect was detained in our cells. As we speak, he has confessed having canal knowledge of the girl who is below the age of 16 years,” ASP Degraft-Armah said.

The suspect, he added, was charged with defilement and would be arraigned before a court in Tamale soon.

We are now preparing him for Court in Tamale and we are charging him for defiling (defilement) a female Child underage”, ASP Adjei indicated.

On the victim’s accounts, ASP Adjei Degraft-Armah said “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 sexual partners.”

According to the District Police Commander, when the young girl was sent on her errand, the suspect called her. Thus, she decided to answer his call but while at his home, she was locked in and taken advantage of sexually.

“Due to her statement, she 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,” ASP Degraft-Armah said.