By Mildred Siabi-Mensah, GNA
Takoradi, March 14, GNA – Stakeholders at the African Women Development Fund KASA! Project implemented by Human Rights and Development Services, have blamed some prosecutors for ineffective handling of sexual violence cases in the Western Region.
The stakeholders observed that the delay by some prosecutors to file disclosures and the general lack of urgency on their part, as well as talking to victims sometimes to settle the matter at home, could cripple the fight against such abuses in communities.
The project aimed at addressing sexual violence in the Western Region, took stakeholders through implementation processes from August to February.
They entreated the President through the Judicial Service to give timelines on trials of sexual abuse cases involving juveniles, to bind prosecutors in doing what was legally required.
Madam Eva Ankrah, the Executive Director of HURDS noted how the project had strengthened referral pathways for all Sexual Violence cases through the training of 30 volunteers from some selected communities in the Western Region.
She said HURDS discovered through the project implementation that the Domestic Violence Fund was operational through the Orange support centre of the Ministry of Children, Social and Gender Protection and had accessed the Fund to support some Survivors of Sexual Violence.
She said “All you have to do was to call the 0800111222 toll free number and you will be assisted”.
She said under the period of the project, a court monitoring exercise also disclosed that 11 cases continued to linger because of inactions of prosecutors to advance the cases.
A Social Welfare Officer, noted how some prosecutors willingly gave their details to offending parties in cases of sexual abuse to call them to drop the cases: “Our lives are endangered, these officers don’t observe the Oath of Secrecy they even swear,” she said.
She alleged that these prosecutors sometimes took monies to abort cases while, political and other high powered interference in such sexual abuse cases were not helping matters.
Madam Efua Yankson, a Principal investigative Officer of CHRAJ described such actions by prosecutors as administrative injustices punishable by law.
An Officer from the Office of the Regional Chief Imam, said Ghana’s future was its children, hence the need for urgent actions to protect, care and defend them.
Nana Egya Kwamina XI, chief of Apremdo called for stronger community and family protection adding, “we need to be each other’s keeper to halt the increasing sexual violence in communities, let us not be afraid to report even if its one of our own”.
GNA
Edited b Justina Hilda Paaga/ Christabel Addo