An Accra Circuit Court sentenced a 27-year-old footballer to 12 years in prison for having sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl on three occasions in Mamprobi, Accra.

At the conclusion of the trial, the court presided over by Mrs Christina Cann found Richard Mensah guilty of three counts of defilement.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Simon Tekpor, stated that the complainant was a trader and the victim’s sister.

It was stated that Mensah was a footballer who lived in the same house as the victim and complainant.

The Court heard that on March 11, 2022, the convict’s girlfriend travelled to Akraman, Accra, for a funeral.

According to the prosecution, around 3:00 p.m., Mensah took advantage of his girlfriend’s absence and invited the victim to his room to help the children with their homework.

It was stated that after the victim finished assisting Mensah’s children with the assignment, he asked his children to remain outside while he and the victim remained inside.

Mensah then undressed the victim and had sex with her through the vagina and anus, according to the prosecution.

On March 12, 2022, around 4:00 p.m., the victim was with Mensah’s children when Mensah invited her back into his room and had sex with her.

According to the prosecution, on March 14, 2022, around 1:00 p.m., the accused called the victim and asked her to help his girlfriend prepare food.

Mensah’s girlfriend went out after the victim complied and the food was prepared.

Mensah, according to the prosecution, took advantage of his girlfriend’s absence and had sex with the victim.

The prosecution stated that the complainant was looking for the victim and went to Mensah’s house around 9:00 p.m. the same day.

According to the prosecution, the victim was discovered in Mensah’s room, and she claimed he had sex with her.

Source: GNA

Kylian Mbappe of Paris St-Germain has been named the new captain of the France national team.

He takes over for Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who announced his retirement from international football in January.

On Tuesday, the French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed Deschamps’ selection of Mbappe as captain and Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann as vice-captain via social media.

“Kylian meets all the requirements to have this responsibility,” France manager Didier Deschamps told French TV channel TF1 in an interview to be aired on Sunday.

“On the field as in the life of the group, by being a unifying element.”

On Tuesday, the French Football Federation (FFF) confirmed Deschamps’ selection of Mbappe as captain and Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann as vice-captain via social media.

Mbappe was the top scorer at last year’s World Cup, helping France to a second consecutive World Cup final, which they lost to Argentina.

He scored two goals against Croatia in the 2018 final and was named the tournament’s best young player as France won the World Cup for the second time.

Deschamps’ team faces the Netherlands in their first Euro 2024 qualifier at the Stade de France on Friday, before facing the Republic of Ireland on Monday.

After being released from prison in Sweden earlier this month, Asante Kotoko winger Joseph Amoako has returned to the club.

Amoako, who was on loan at relegated Swedish Allsvenskan club Helsingborgs IF for the season, was reportedly found guilty of statutory rape of a minor in Sweden and sentenced to two years in prison.

After being charged with having sexual relations with a minor, the 20-year-old was detained in Swedish Police custody in November 2022 for a court trial.

Due to the rape allegations, Helsingborgs IF cancelled his loan deal before the contract with his parent club, Asante Kotoko, expired in January 2023.

The Helsingborgs District Court initially found the talented young winger guilty on two counts and sentenced him to 24 months in prison, but the charges were dropped after an appeal.

Amoako, who arrived in Ghana last week, paid a visit to his teammates on Wednesday morning at the Adako Jachie Training Complex in Kumasi.

After Kingsley Sarfo and Kwame Bonsu, he was the third Ghanaian footballer to be wrongfully imprisoned in Sweden on rape charges.

Amoako struggled for playing time at Helsingborgs IF, where he appeared in only ten (10) games — 295 minutes — across all competitions.

Asante Kotoko did not register him for this season, so he is ineligible to play for the Porcupine Warriors in the 2022/23 Ghana Premier League.