Lack of support for crime victims worrying – Lawyer Foley

Human rights lawyer and a law lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration(GIMPA), Edmund Foley, has called on authorities to make available facilities o that will take care of crime victims’ support.

To him, the support for citizens who suffer crime does not exist except services that are paid for. He said the situation was heartbreaking especially when people who suffer crime or violence cannot pay for psycho-therapy services and are left with the scars of the incidents, particularly women.

“The girl needs justice. . . Victims of crime, particularly child victims of crime need a very integrated approach. You are getting the perpetrator punished but focus on the victim,” he advised the government.

Mr. Foley bemoaned the lack of support for such people and urged all Ghanaians to help such people “find life” in the country.

“Support for victims of crime is lacking a lot in Ghana. we are all too quick to punish the perpetrator and we leave the victim without a remedy,” he added

Mr. Foley was speaking on the Morning Xpress on Tuesday on the back of a gang rape incident that happened in Kumasi last Friday involving an 18-year-old girl and a group of teenage boys who police have identified as seven (7).

XYZ News’ Jonathan Ofori had earlier reported that the victim’s family were reluctant to assist police with their investigations and would not talk to the media.

But the law lecturer believes the departments of Social Welfare, and Community Development should take the well-being of the rape victim up and support her with the necessary counseling to avoid a future vengeance from her or family which may not augur well for the community.

“The young girl needs a psycho-social support. The family should be bold enough and not to keep her indoors. . . The girl needs justice. This can shatter her for the rest of her life but we can repair that,” he added.

He also advised the victim’s parents and immediate family to seek a professional assistance to get the girl out of the trauma she may be going through after the rape.

Calling for the laws to work get the culprits punished, he observed that there was a forced carnal knowledge and that makes it an offence irrespective of the age of the actors, maintaining that there is no way the perpetrators will go free even if they are judged according to the Juvenile Justice Act.

“To my objective mind, if I look at what I saw on the video, there was penetration of her private parts. The young lady was fighting, obviously it was against her consent and that in my humble opinion should be enough to ground an action for rape,” the lawyer told Prince Minkah, host of the Morning Xpress.

Mr. Foley also encouraged the media to keenly follow and give coverage to the matter to ensure justice for the victim while they protect the image of the all involved in it.

Suspects Remanded

The Asokwa District Court has remanded the three (3) suspects who, together with some other four (4) teenager, allegedly raped the 18-year-old.

The three (3) are to re-appear before the court on Wednesday.

The Ashanti Regional Police arrested the three on Monday after a video footage of the barbaric act went viral on social media.

XYZ News correspondent Jonathan Ofori who was at the court Tuesday afternoon said there were scores of people, including relatives of the suspects, thronged the court though the trial was held in-camera in the chamber of the presiding judge, His Worship Peter Oppong-Boahen.

The Ashanti Regional Police Command has disclosed that their intelligence has led them to the residence of the four (4) other accomplices who are on the run currently.

ASP Juliana Obeng, Asanti Regional Police PRO told journalists that the police has intensified the search for the remaining suspects. ” we know where they live,” she said without given any further particulars.

Condemnation

Apart from the scores of Ghanaians who are raged by the incident, the latest to join is the minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection who has condemned the gang-rape incident.

“I am very sad and feel disappointed that a young Ghanaian girl will suffer this wicked act from those young guys,” the minister said while speaking at the National Stakeholder Consultative Workshop in Accra.