Pastor abducts girl, 14

When a 14-year-old girl was asked by a 24-year-old self-styled pastor, who had acquainted himself with many children and their families in the community, to escort him to a nearby town, little did she know that she was being abducted and prepared for marriage.

Her alleged abductor – Daniel Eduful, alias Kweku, a native of Ajumako Kwanyako in the Central Region, and well-known for his evangelism work in Gomoa Ogua and surrounding areas where his victim lived with her parents – is said to have taken advantage of the absence of the poor girl’s parents to tactfully execute his plan.

And for close to two weeks, the 14-year-old girl lived with her abductor and performed the duties of a wife while her family frantically combed the town in search of her.

The victim, after sensing that she was getting farther and farther away from home, and with the hope of returning to her parent's warning, sneaked to the roadside and begged a passing driver, who was incidentally going to her town, to take her home.

At the Swedru District Court, where the case ended up, the accused pleaded not guilty, but it was disclosed in evidence by the victim that she spent 10 days with the accused and during the period, the accused allegedly had sex with her each day for seven days.

Weekend Finder gathered that the accused, after luring his victim out of her home on March 26, 2016, to his hometown, introduced her to his family as a lady he intends marrying.

An auntie of the accused who was not enthused about the news requested that he sends the girl back to her parents. This suggestion is said to have infuriated the accused, who picked a quarrel with her auntie and moved out with his ‘child-bride’ to Afranse, a neighbouring town, where they stayed with old women who lived on the outskirt of town for two days.

On April 5, 2016, the young girl was finally united with her family, courtesy the good Samaritan who drove her back to her family.

After narrating her ordeal, her parents formally lodged a complaint with the police and the accused was subsequently arrested from his hideout.

He was put before the Agona Swedru District Court, presided over by His Worship Isaac Apeatu, and charged with abduction of a child under 18 years of age contrary to section 91 of the Criminal Offences Act, 29/60.

The case has been adjourned to June 16, 2016.