Alliance For Women In Media Africa Statement Petition On The Defilement Of A Four Year Old Girl At Assin Dadientem, Central Region

TO: The Director General CID.
The Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) is issuing this statement petition to draw your attention and to strongly denounce the alleged defilement of a four year-old girl in Assin Dadientem in the Central Region, as reported in the media on Tuesday 24th October 2017.

The girl is alleged to have been defiled by a young man in the community, who has so far escaped punishment for his alleged crime.

The chief of the town as well as the police have reportedly been reluctant to bring him to book. Many right thinking members of the society; human rights activists and gender advocates have condemned the incident in no uncertain terms. AWMA is joining calls by the public for justice to be served to the victim.

THE INCIDENT
JOYNEWS reporter Maxwell Agbagba chanced upon the victim and her mother at the St Francis Xavier Hospital at Assin Fosu last week when he went to the town to cover another story. He noticed the girl was unable to stand and upon further interrogation, the mother, Monica Nyarko disclosed that a boy identified only as Kwabena had defiled her daughter in a toilet facility. According to the mother, the young man threatened to kill her daughter if she revealed the incident to anyone.

He reportedly carried the victim on his shoulder after the act and dropped her at 2 her house. Madam Nyarko revealed that her daughter bled for three days and they were forced to buy diapers to control the bleeding.

After the incident the victim was unable to pass urine for some days. The mother claims when the matter was reported to the chief of the town, the chief took the matter up with a deity who supposedly said the accused person did not commit the act.

AFTERMATH
A week after the incident, the victim’s father Isaac Kofi reported the matter to the Assin Fosu police. However the police are yet to apprehend the culprit because they claim Mr. Kofi has not returned to the station to lead officers to effect the arrest although the little girl had identified the perpetrator who is known in the community. Currently the victim has to go for regular treatment at the hospital and the incident has resulted in her inability to walk properly as before. The mother of the victim Monica Nyarko is demanding justice for her daughter.

ACTION
The Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) as women, mothers and women’s rights advocates calls on your esteem office to seek justice for the little innocent child. We Seek amongst others:

1. The immediate transfer of the case to the National Police headquarters in Accra, due to the lackadaisical attitude of the Municipal Police Command in handling the case;

2. Immediate arrest of the suspect of the pending full investigations;

3. A Special prosecutor to immediately handle the investigation;

4. Immediate arraignment of the case before a competent Court of jurisdiction;

5. Immediate medical attention for the victim in Accra by the Social Welfare Department and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection;

6. Support and protection for the mother and child who may become targets of families and friends of the alleged suspect.

7. The state must declare ZERO TOLERANCE for DEFILEMENT and RAPE. Defilement has a face- It is that of a 4-year-old girl, suffering in ASSIN 3 DADIENTEM. Let not the STATE fail HER and the many others suffering in pain and anger! SIGNED Alliance for Women in Media (AWMA).

cc:
National Coordinator DOVVSU
Chief Justice
Commissioner, CHRAG
MP Assin South, Rev Ntim Fordjour
Office of the President
Speaker of Parliament
First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo
Wife of Vice President, Mrs. Samira Bawumia
Gender Minister
Christian Council
Peace Council
National House of Chiefs
Central Regional House of Chiefs
*Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) is a Women in Media and Communications advocacy and empowerment group made up of over 170 professionals from across the media industry in Ghana.