Tarkwa Court Hands 15-Year Sentence to Illegal Miner Over Defilement of Teenager
A 20-year-old illegal miner in Nsuaem gets 15 years in prison after posing as a pastor, drugging a teen street vendor, and assaulting her.
- Kelvin Oppong, 20, was jailed for 15 years by the Tarkwa Circuit Court after pleading guilty to defilement.
- Oppong lured the 14-year-old vendor to his house, posed as a pastor, and drugged her with a concoction before assaulting her.
- The victim reported the attack to her stepmother, and local residents helped apprehend Oppong the following day.
The Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced Kelvin Oppong, a 20-year-old illegal miner (galamsey operator), to 15 years in prison for defiling a 14-year-old girl at Nsuaem in the Western Region.
Oppong, a resident of Nsuaem, was convicted on his own plea after pleading guilty to the charge before Her Honour Bernice Mensima Ackon.
Deceit and Assault Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samuel Ahiabor told the court that the victim, a recent Junior High School graduate awaiting her BECE results, was selling sausages and gizzards on May 26, 2026, to raise funds for her Senior High School education.
Around 11:00 a.m., Oppong approached the girl to buy food and handed her a GH¢100 note. Claiming she had no change, Oppong instructed her to follow him to his house to collect smaller bills.
Once at his residence, Oppong posed as a pastor, telling the victim he had seen a bad dream about her. He pretended to offer a prayer, then gave her a liquid concoction that caused her to lose consciousness. He subsequently sexually assaulted her on his veranda.
Arrest and Conviction Upon regaining consciousness, the victim realized the assault and reported the incident to her stepmother, who alerted the Nsuaem Police. A medical examination at the Nsuaem Government Hospital subsequently confirmed the defilement.
On May 27, the victim’s stepmother and local residents spotted Oppong in Nsuaem, apprehended him, and handed him over to law enforcement. Oppong admitted to the crime in court and was immediately handed a 15-year prison term.
