By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), Oct. 6, GNA – ActionAid Ghana, a social justice non-governmental organisation (NGO), has petitioned the Ghana Police Service and other relevant institutions to expedite the prosecution of an alleged sexual abuse case involving an eight-year-old boy in the Jirapa Municipality.
It called on the Police, the Office of the Attorney-General and the courts to maintain close coordination to prevent unnecessary delays, procedural lapses or loss of evidence that could undermine the case.
The NGO, in a petition copied to the Ghana News Agency in Wa, called for thorough and survivor-sensitive investigations, the speedy prosecution of the alleged perpetrator, and the protection of the child’s rights and welfare throughout the judicial process.
ActionAid Ghana commended the Police for the prompt steps taken in the case but urged the authorities to give it the “highest level of attention, professionalism, and urgency” it deserved, considering the age and vulnerability of the child.”
“Given the child’s age and vulnerability, we respectfully urge the authorities to treat this matter with the utmost urgency and ensure that the child’s best interests, safety, dignity, and welfare remain paramount throughout the process,” the petition said.
It said swift action to ensure justice and accountability would also help deter similar acts and impunity in the region.
The NGO, therefore, appealed to the Office of the Attorney-General to call for the case docket for study and provide the necessary advice to bring the matter to its logical conclusion.
ActionAid Ghana also urged the Ghana Education Service and the Social Welfare Unit to facilitate psychosocial counselling, stigma prevention measures and the safe reintegration of the child into school.
The petition said the alleged incident occurred on September 4, 2026, in Jirapa, when a 25-year-old man in the community allegedly called the child into his room under the pretext of sending him on an errand.
It said the child’s 33-year-old mother later found him crying outside their house and, upon inquiry, he disclosed the alleged abuse.
The mother subsequently reported the matter to the Police the same day and was issued a medical form for the child to be examined at a hospital.
The petition said the medical assessment found bruises around the child’s anal area, but the mother initially hesitated to submit the medical form to the Police due to pressure from the alleged perpetrator’s family and fear of victimisation.
It said the medical form was eventually submitted to the Police on September 6 following persistent follow-ups and advice, leading to the arrest of the accused person by the Jirapa Police on September 7, 2026.
The case has since been transferred to the Upper West Regional Office of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Wa for prosecution.
The accused person has been remanded into prison custody.
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Philip Tengzu
Reporter’s email: [email protected]