Kwabenya mason jailed 10 years for incest
By: Rebecca Okine
A 58-year-old mason, Joshua Bledi, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Kwabenya Circuit Court for committing incest with his 17-year-old daughter, which resulted in her pregnancy.
The victim, now a mother to a seven-month-old baby, is a hairdressing apprentice.
Mr Bledi pleaded guilty to the offence, admitting the prosecution’s account.
The court considered his age, the premeditated nature of the act, and his decision not to waste the court’s time before handing down the sentence.
Prosecutor Chief Inspector Gershon Togbe Achondo urged the court to impose a harsh sentence, describing incest as a cultural abomination that is becoming alarmingly frequent. He said the punishment should serve as a deterrent to others.
The case came to light when the victim delivered her baby at Ga East Hospital and was unable to pay her medical bills.
A social welfare worker at the hospital intervened and ensured her bills were waived. Upon enquiries, the victim disclosed that her father was responsible for the pregnancy.
Investigations confirmed that Mr Bledi, a resident of Musuku, Kwabenya in Accra, was indeed the father. He has since begun serving his jail term.
