Proprietor in Police grips for marrying a minor

Accra, Sept 10, GNA - The Proprietor of Great Lamptey Mills School, Enoch Nii Lamptey Mills, 42, has bean arrested by the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service for allegedly marrying a minor.

The victim, name withheld and now 18 years, was a former student of the school at Kasoa in the Central Region, source at DOVVSU told GNA on Thursday.

The source said that parents of the victim detected that the girl was pregnant and when she was interrogated, she said the proprietor was responsible.

According to the source, the family of the victim sent a delegation to the proprietor, who asked that the pregnancy should be aborted because of his reputation but the objected to his suggestion. After two months, the source said, the suspect met the family of the victim and performed the marriage rites and promised the victim a house, upkeep of the child and sponsorship to continue her education. His promises turned out to be a hoax when after giving birth, maintenance of the baby became a problem, the source said adding that in June this year, the Unit got wind of the case and started its investigations.

The source reminded the public that the Children's Act 560, 1998 section 14 subsection two, indicates that the minimum age of marriage of whatever kind should be 18 and that a person who contravenes the law would be liable to a fine not exceeding GHc 500.00 or a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year.