Somanya: A 36-year-old HIV-positive pragya rider, identified as Joseph Nyarko, also known as Joseph Nartey, has been sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment with hard labour by the Odumase Krobo Circuit Court for defiling a 12-year-old girl. The incident took place in Somanya, located in the Eastern Region.
According to Ghana Web, the court conviction followed Nyarko's admission during police investigations that he had engaged in sexual intercourse with the victim back in 2024, when she was 12 years old. The girl, who is now 14, tested positive for HIV during a medical examination that was part of the police investigation.
The prosecution revealed that the case came to light on May 29, 2026, when the victim's father, 68-year-old insurance agent Peter Adamtey, reported the matter. He received information about another suspect, Derrick, allegedly abducting his daughter and taking her to his room in Adjikpo, a suburb of Somanya. Although the complainant hurried to the location, he was unable to find Derrick. Consequently, he reported the incident to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), where the victim disclosed that Joseph Nyarko had also forcibly engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse with her in 2024.
A medical examination was conducted, confirming that the victim had tested positive for HIV. Further investigations revealed that the victim had also had unprotected sexual intercourse with her former class teacher, who remains at large and is being pursued by the police.
Joseph Nyarko was apprehended on June 3, 2026, to assist with the investigations. The prosecution stated that further investigations at the Somanya Polyclinic established that Nyarko was a known HIV patient who had defaulted on his antiretroviral treatment for an extended period. Police investigations suggested that he had been engaging in unprotected sexual intercourse with unsuspecting individuals.
To support the investigation, police filed an ex parte application before the Somanya District Court on June 12, 2026, to obtain an order for the release of Nyarko's medical records. The application was approved, and the order was served on the Somanya Polyclinic. In his cautioned statement, Nyarko admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim in 2024 at his residence.
Upon the completion of investigations, Nyarko was charged with the offences listed on the charge sheet and arraigned, leading to his remand into lawful custody. The prosecution informed the court that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the two remaining suspects, the alleged abductor, Derrick, and the victim's former class teacher, to assist with investigations and face prosecution.