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The mother of a Pupil Teacher broke down in tears when an Accra Circuit Court handed down a 12-year jail term to her son for sexually abusing a three-year old girl at Caprice over a period of two years.

   The mother of Ishmael Tagoe amidst tears said she has been advising her son to stay out of trouble.

   Before the court could jail Tagoe, the victim’s mother could also not hold her tears hence walked out of the court room when the court asked Ishmael if he had something to say before sentence was handed down on him.

   Ishmael Tagoe, 22, charged with defilement pleaded not guilty at his first appearance.

   However, when he appeared again before the court, Tagoe changed his plea to guilty.

   The court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku therefore convicted him on his plea and sentenced him to 12 years imprisonment.

   According to the court, in sentencing Tagoe, it took into consideration the fact that the accused did not waste the court’s time.

   The court noted that considering the two year period that the accused abused the victim, he (Tagoe) deserved no mercy even though young.

   Defence Counsel Mr George Asamaney had earlier prayed the court to deal with Tagoe leniently because he had shown remorse and had regretted his actions.

   Defence counsel said it was stupidity and youthful exuberance that made his client to commit the act, adding that there was nothing attractive on the victim.

   Counsel who further attributed his client conduct to the work of the devil said the victim did not have any big breast or buttocks to attract Tagoe.

  “Considering the fact that Tagoe did not waste the court’s time, I pray that the court deal leniently with him by giving him the minimum sentence,” defence counsel said.

  Meanwhile before the court could convict Tagoe his mother and the victim’s mother broke down in tears concurrently in court.

  Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire said the complainant is a decorator and mother of the victim. The convict is a pupil teacher teaching in a school name withheld at Caprice in Accra.

   Prosecution said the victim and other kids in the school have been playing together at the said school compound where she visited the convict in his classroom.

  Prosecution said Tagoe took advantage of that and defiled her for two years.

  On May 24, this year, the victim’s mother was bathing her but when the mother decided to wash her private parts she resisted.

   The mother on suspicion interrogated the victim who revealed how the accused had continuously defiled her since she was three years.

   On May 26, this year, the complainant reported the matter to the Tesano Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) and Tagoe was arrested.

   A medical report form was issued to the complainant to seek medical attention.