Parents of defiled girl tussle with DOVVSU over victim's true age

The parents of the 12-year-old girl allegedly defiled by a Lance Corporal Emmanuel Kwamena Bartels are in a tussle with personnel at the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service over the actual age of the victim.

While the parents say the victim is currently 12 years, an age assessment conducted at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to determine her true age indicate she is 17 years. Unfortunately, the parents of the victim could not provide any documentary proof to support their claim.

Atinka News reported on May 29, 2015, that the father of the defiled girl, Mr. Mawuenyega Quashie had filed a complaint at the Ministry’s Police Station accusing the Police officer of defiling his daughter and impregnating her in the process. The incident, according to the girl, happened on three consecutive occasions in the home of the victim where the suspect lived as a tenant.

Officers at DOVVSU are yet to take any action after two months since the complaint was lodged. Mawuenyega suspects attempts by the Unit to cover up the case since the suspected perpetrator is a police officer.

The police had insisted that they could only take action after results of the age assessment had been released.

However, the assessment obtained from the Radiological Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on June 5, 2015 indicated the girl is 17 years which means the suspect could only be charged for alleged rape but not defilement.

Even with that, an arrest had not been effected for the case to be put before the court.

The parents subsequently suspected foul play and petitioned the Child Health Department at Korle-Bu where the child was born, to trace all documents covering the period her mother, Judith Korang was admitted to the Labour Ward of the facility till she delivered and was discharged.

The parents’ claim was justified after investigations by the Child Health Department revealed the girl in question was 12 years when she was defiled, late 2014.

A letter addressed to the Child Health Department from the Maternity Ward of the same hospital confirmed that Madam Judith Korang delivered the child at the KBTH Maternity block.

“Madam Judith Korang was admitted and discharged on October 24, 2002 and October 30, 2002 respectively, in which she delivered a Female Child on October, 25th, 2002 thereby authenticating the date of birth and sex of child…” the letter indicated.

Independent checks conducted by Atinka News at the Community Day International School where the girl started her nursery education also revealed that she was admitted to Nursery One on April 24, 2004 at age two.

On the admission form it clearly stated her age of birth as “25th October, 2002”.

The parents later told Atinka News they are amazed at how the officers at DOVVSU are handling the case, raising issues about their competency.

They insist the police should arrest the Lance Corporal and process him for court.