Lawra Court Hands Father 20-Year Jail Term for Incest After Daughter Endured Months of Abuse

A 47-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison with hard labour after the Lawra Circuit Court found him guilty of sexually abusing his 17-year-old biological daughter over an extended period in Ghana’s Upper West Region.

The convict, identified as Kwame Ti-Zaaekuu, was also convicted on a separate charge of threat of death after evidence presented in court established that he repeatedly threatened to kill the teenager if she disclosed the abuse to anyone.

According to a press release issued by the Upper West Regional Police Command on July 26, the conviction followed investigations by the Lawra District Police after a complaint was lodged against the accused.

Police said their investigations uncovered a prolonged pattern of sexual abuse involving the victim, a Junior High School student, who allegedly endured the ordeal under constant intimidation and threats.

The case was heard by the Lawra Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Stanley Adjei, which on July 24 found the accused guilty on both counts after a full trial.

The court sentenced Ti-Zaaekuu to 20 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for incest and an additional 10 years with hard labour for threat of death. However, both sentences will run concurrently, meaning he will serve a total of 20 years in prison.

Beyond the custodial sentence, the court directed the Department of Social Welfare in Lawra to provide the teenage survivor with counselling and psychosocial support to aid her recovery from the traumatic experience.

Reacting to the judgment, the Upper West Regional Police Command praised the investigators and prosecutors whose work led to the successful prosecution of the case.

The Command also appealed to the public to report all forms of sexual and domestic abuse promptly, stressing that early reporting is essential to protecting victims, ensuring justice is served, and preventing further abuse.