Mr Edward Ekuadzi, a 36-year-old pupil teacher in Aflao in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta region, has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for engaging in incestuous relations with his 17-year-old daughter.
He appeared before the Denu Circuit Court on 2nd May 2025, where he pleaded guilty simpliciter to the charge. As presented by the prosecution, the complainant, Madam Christy Kwau, is a trader and the biological mother of the victim (name withheld), a 17-year-old Senior High School student.
Both the complainant and the accused are divorced, and the victim had lived with the convict since infancy. On 22nd April 2025 at approximately 10:00 am, the victim went to the complainant at Sepenukope and refused to return to the accused. Upon questioning, the victim disclosed that in March 2025 at about 4:20 am, and again on 17th April 2025 at 4:30 am, the accused had forcibly had sexual intercourse with her in their living room.
The accused (now convicted) was arrested and interrogated on 30th April 2025, during which he confessed to having sexual intercourse with the victim on three occasions. The convict was a teacher at a private basic school in the Ketu South Municipality.
What is Incest ?
The right of consenting adults to have sexual intercourse is limited in a way. Many cultures and religions frown upon having sexual intercourse with close relatives. Incest is a crime in Ghana under section 105 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). It states:
(1) A male of not less than sixteen years of age who has carnal knowledge of a female whom he knows is his grand-daughter, daughter, sister, mother or grandmother commits a criminal offence and is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than twenty-five years.
(2) A female of not less than sixteen years or age who has carnal knowledge of a male whom she knows is her grand-son, son, brother, father or grandfather, commits a criminal offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than twenty-five years.
(3) A male of not less than sixteen years of age who permits a female whom he knows is his grandmother, mother, sister or daughter to have carnal knowledge of him with his consent, commits a criminal offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than twenty-five years.
(4) A female of not less than sixteen years of age who permits a male whom she knows is her grandfather, father, brother or son to have carnal knowledge of her with her consent, commits a criminal offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than twenty-five years.
(5) In this section, “sister” includes half-sister, and “brother” includes half-brother, and for the purposes of this section an expression importing a relationship between two people applies although the relationship is not traced through lawful wedlock.
The prosecution is required to prove the mens rea of knowledge by an accused person. The accused person must know that the person he is having sexual intercourse with is related to the accused person in the category listed in section 105.
Source: MyJoyOnline
