By Ama Achiaa Amankwah
In the past, it was mainly cases involving adults defiling children that came to the attention of the Women and Juvenile Unit (WAJU), of the Ghana Police Service. That is fast changing, as juveniles are fast learning the trade from adults.
Information gathered from WAJU shows that currently the unit is receiving complaints of juveniles defiling juveniles. Children between the ages of 14 to 16 years have begun defiling children in their age group or younger, according to Chief Inspector Rita Narh, Station Officer of WAJU in Accra.
The Station Officer told Public Agenda in an interview in Accra, that the unit receives two complaints of juvenile defilement every week.
She attributed the situation to the general breakdown in moral upbringing, because children are exposed so much to technological advancement, such as watching all kinds of movies/films on television, even at odd hours.
Madam Narh explained that out of curiosity these children are tempted to try or experience whatever they see. ‘‘There seem to be lack of parental supervision. Parents, particularly, mothers are so much concerned about their job or trade that they care little about what happens to their children’, she stressed.
Chief Inspector Narh said children in this era are curious to experiment whatever they see and hear. She noted that majority of the victims of child defilement involves children who sleep outside their parents rooms due to overcrowding. She said such child defilers are usually remanded in juvenile homes and sent to juvenile court till the determination of their case. But she added that while on remand they are allowed to go to school and cannot engage in the crime again.
Defilement was the second highest case recorded by WAJU for the first quarter with the figure 94 cases. This involves grown ups who had sexual intercourse with minors or children below 18 years. Could the child culprits be drawing inspiration from the grown ups? Meanwhile, a 21 year old trader resident at Nii Boi Town, in Accra, Kwame Ampong has been sentenced to three years imprisonment in hard labour by a Cocoa Affairs Court B1 for inserting his fingers into the private parts of a four-year old girl.
Another 19 year old driver, Reuben Manu has also been remanded to prison custody for defiling a nineteen year old imbecile.
Reuben who is a driver at the victim’s home drove the victim to church on May 14, 2005 and back.
At about 4.30 pm the same day, the accused asked the victim for the car key.
His reason was to spark the car to heat its engine. When the victim handed him over the key he lured her into the garage.
The accused removed a carpet from the booth and laid it on the ground and asked the victim to lie on the carpet which she did. He removed his panties and had sexual intercourse with her causing her to bleed profusely.
The victim reported the incident to her cousin who also reported the case the police. The accused was arrested and the case referred to WAJU.
The accused in his caution statement admitted the offence claiming it was Satan. After investigation he was charged and put before court. But at the court he pleaded not guilty and was remanded in prison custody until June 6, 2005.
A similar media report also states that Tarkwa Circuit Court rescored 44 defilement cases from July 2004 to May 2005, as against 24 recorded within the same period in 2003.
According to the Presiding Judge, Mr. John Ajet Nasam, defilement cases were increasing at an alarming rate despite stiffer punishment which spans seven to twenty-five years imprisonment.
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