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A �Bookman� stationed at Circle in Accra has been convicted and sentenced to 36 months imprisonment with hard labour by the Accra Circuit Court for defiling a three-year-old girl. Akwasi Berkoh, 25, is said to have lured his victim into his kiosk under the pretext of buying pure water for her and sexually abused her. After satisfying himself, he is said to have given the victim 10 pesewas to go home. Berkoh was found guilty of the offence of indecent assault before the court, presided over by Ms Sedinam Agbemava. In her verdict, the trial judge said the court took into consideration the age of the child and a medical report that was issued on the victim. She said the report did not only confirm the sexual act but also indicated that the child was emotionally traumatised because of a severe pain in her private part. She stated, �This is an indication that the convict lied to the court when he said he was not in the vicinity on the day of the incidence.� The trial judge also held that although the child had no difficulty in locating where the incident happened, she also answered Berkoh�s questions in court without any difficulty, which the judge said was an indication that �the convict is the perpetrator and that is why the child pointed at him.� Ms Agbemava said even though Berkoh could not explain to the court why the child levelled the charges against him, the prosecution was able to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mrs Sarah Acquah had told the court earlier that the complainant is the mother of the victim who lived in the same vicinity with the convict at Teshie, a suburb of Accra. She said on December 19, 2013, at about 11 a.m., the victim was playing with her friends when the convict sent her on an errand. Immediately the victim entered the kiosk, Berkoh quickly locked the door and indecently assaulted her. After the act, she said the victim who was feeling pains in her private part rushed home and disclosed her ordeal to the mother. The prosecutor said the victim took her mother to the convict�s kiosk as the scene of the crime. The mother later lodged a complaint at the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit at Nungua where a medical form was issued to the victim and subsequent examination of the victim confirmed the act.