AFLAO, Ghana — A 36-year-old Ghanaian father has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with hard labor after being found guilty of impregnating his 15-year-old daughter, a case that has shocked residents in the Ketu South Municipality.
Kofitse Zigah, an electrician from Adoteykope, a suburb of Aflao, was convicted after pleading guilty to charges of defilement. The Circuit Court at Tokor, presided over by Judge Joseph Ofosu Behome, handed down the sentence after determining that Zigah had sexually assaulted his daughter on multiple occasions.
According to court documents, Zigah drugged his daughter before committing the acts. During his birthday celebration in February, he gave the victim a non-alcoholic beverage that caused her to lose consciousness. Upon waking, the girl discovered suspicious bodily fluids on her clothing, which her father refused to explain when confronted.
The court heard that a second assault occurred on April 15, 2025, during the victim’s birthday celebration. Police Inspector Albert Kombor, who prosecuted the case, told the court that Zigah again provided his daughter with a soft drink suspected to contain sedatives before taking her to a bedroom and sexually assaulting her.
“The victim later experienced unusual fatigue and headaches, symptoms consistent with early pregnancy,” Inspector Kombor explained during the proceedings.
The crime came to light on May 1 when the victim encountered Miss Faustina Elikplim Korwu, the Assembly member for Avoeme West Electoral Area, while running an errand. Upon questioning, the teenager revealed her ordeal, prompting Korwu to immediately report the matter to the Aflao Police Station.
Medical examination at the Ketu South Municipal Hospital confirmed that the victim was 15 weeks and 4 days pregnant, providing irrefutable evidence of the assault.
Zigah was first arraigned before the court on May 5, 2025, where he pleaded guilty “simpliciter” (unconditionally). The court delivered its sentence during his second appearance.
Miss Korwu expressed satisfaction with the swift administration of justice, though she had hoped for a more severe sentence. “While I expected a longer jail term, I believe the judge may have considered his complete admission of guilt and his apparent poor health condition,” she said, adding, “The man didn’t look healthy to me.”
Ghana’s Criminal Code of 1960 (ACT 29) stipulates that sexual intercourse with a child under 16 years, regardless of consent, carries a prison term ranging from seven to 25 years. This legislation reflects Ghana’s commitment to protecting minors from sexual exploitation and abuse.
The case underscores ongoing challenges in combating child sexual abuse in Ghana, particularly when perpetrators are family members who exploit positions of trust and authority.
Local child protection advocates have called for increased community vigilance and support systems for vulnerable children in the wake of this disturbing case.
