Social Welfare Officer condemns confinement of girl

Cape Coast, March 16, GNA - Ms Lucy Ofori-Agyeman, Officer in charge of the Department of Social Welfare in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) District, on Tuesday said the reported lock-up of a 14-year-old girl for five years on suspicion that she was a witch, was inhuman.

In a telephone interview with the Ghana News Agency, Ms Ofori-Agyeman said it was not right for the girl's parents to lock her up and "treat her like an animal", as was reported.

Last Saturday, a Police team, led by Superintendent Beatrice Amoako, Regional Officer of Women And Juvenile Unit (WAJU) of Ghana Police, swooped on Kissi-Emem, a settlement at Kissi, near Komenda, following a tip-off that 14 year-old paralysed girl was being kept in confinement on suspicion that she possessed witchcraft.

However, the girl's mother, Madam Aba Akyere denied that she locked up her daughter on suspicion that she was a witch.

She said the victim, together with other siblings had been sleeping in the same room, and that she had not been confined as was reported.

But Mrs Edith DeCos, Founder and Managing Director of 'Baobab Children's Foundation', a nongovernmental organisation, who tipped off the authorities, maintained that her office had evidence to prove that the girl was "imprisoned and isolated".

She said relatives of the victim removed her from confinement when they had information that the law enforcement agents were visiting the place.

She said her NGO would bear the medical bills of the girl and her two other siblings, who are said to be suffering from epilepsy and yaws. Mrs DeCos told the GNA that she had acquired a wheelchair for the victim's use when discharged from the hospital and that she was prepared to put her and one other sibling through school.

She said members of the 'Baobab Youth Club' were also contributing some money towards the victim's upkeep.

The victim is currently receiving treatment at the Cape Coast Central Regional Hospital.

The WAJU is conducting investigations into the case and has taken statement from the victim's mother.

Contrary to reports the Team found the victim, who was said to be looking very unkempt and had been isolated, asleep on a mat in what appeared to be the family's living room, looking very clean. 17 Mar. 04