Two Friends Jailed For Raping Girl

A Cape Coast Circuit Court on Tuesday sentenced two friends to seven years imprisonment each in hard labour, for raping an 18-year-old girl. Kwodzo Modzro, 28, a taxi driver, and Samson Kuladzi, 26, a carpenter, pleaded guilty to rape and were convicted on their own plea. Passing sentence, the presiding Judge, Mr. Kofi Seshie Ametewee, reprimanded the two for their �irresponsible� behaviour, and advised young men to channel their exuberance into productive ventures. Police Inspector Samuel Amoako had earlier told the Court that on March 30 this year, the victim visited the complainant, Edem Dzidzor at Duakro, a suburb of Cape Coast, and passed the night there, since it was late to travel back to Shama, where she resides. He said at about 0900 hours the following morning, Dzidzor took the victim to see Modzro, his cousin, at the University of Cape Coast taxi rank, and asked her to stay with him, while he (Dzidzor) attended lectures, and promised to drive her home after lectures. Inspector Amoako said, Modzro alleged that he waited for Dzidzor for over six hours, but he did not return, neither could he reach him on phone, so he decided to take the victim to his house. Modzro forcibly had sex with the victim, and later while she was asleep, Kuladzi, who shared the same room with Modzro also came in and had his turn, although the victim complained of severe abdominal pains. The two gave her GH�100 and asked her not to tell anyone. Inspector Amoako said Modzro later took the victim to Dzidzor�s house, but was told he had not returned from lectures. Dzidzro, who searched for the victim and Modzro for hours after returning from lectures, eventually met the victim in tears at his house and she narrated her ordeal to him. A complaint was lodged at the UCC police station, and later at the Cape Coast Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), which led to the arrest of the convicts.