The Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Rt Hon Prof. Mike Aaron Oquaye has asked the Gender Minister to do everything within her authority to ensure justice for the four (4) year old child who was sexually abused at Assin Adadietem in the Central Region of Ghana.

The Speaker on behalf of the House, asked the Minister to personally ensure a thorough investigation into the matter.

He also ordered her to make sure there is no underhand dealings aimed at killing the case, saying “ensure that there is no private, personal, official or whatsoever intervention in the case to attempt to settle the case behind closed doors or attempt to kill it”.

He indicated that “a felony cannot be settled out of court, so no chief or priest can come in and say he has taken over the case, because the law is explicit on it. So the case must go to court and proceeded with to its logical conclusion”

He further disclosed the House’s willingness in knowing the conclusion of the matter, and therefore asked her to report to the House on the status of the case in two weeks and thereafter.

In answering a question from Laadi Ayii Ayamba, Member for Pusiga, on whether the Minister is aware of the rape of a 4 year old girl at Assin Adadietem, and if so, what support has been given for medical treatment and what steps the Minister has taken for the victim to get justice, the Minister indicated that, she is aware of the defilement case, and resultantly dispatched a team from the Ministry to find out what had happened.

She revealed that the victim was initially rushed to the Assin Manso Clinic, but was referred to the St. Francis Xavier Hospital at Assin Fosu, where she was admitted for six days and discharged, with medical bills paid by the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Hon. Rev. John Ntim Fordjour.

From that point, she also met with the mother and families of the victim, giving monies and food items for their upkeep, and further arranged for the girl and the mother to be sent to a shelter for temporary care and protection.

According to the Minister, she also met with the family of the alleged perpetrator to convince them to produce the boy to the Police since he is in hiding.

“The medical examination of the girl from the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital has been sent to the Assin Fosu Police to aid prosecution, with the case scheduled to be heard on the 1st of March, 2018. She revealed.

To further create awareness on the issue of domestic violence in the community, She said, the annual sixteen (16) days of activism celebration of the Ministry was marked in the community to educate them on the need to prevent domestic violence.Honhe added that the girl is doing well in health, with the family of the victim relocated to a safe environment through the help of the Assin South Member of Parliament.

Story: Frederick E. Aggrey

 

Exclusively Newslinegh