Donors fund 11-year-old rape victim's medical bill

Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo) 15 May 2003 - Contributions from a number of generous donors at the Nkoranza Lorry Station on Wednesday helped to save the life of an 11-year-old rape victim as the parents could not afford the initial deposit of ?200,000.00 demanded by the authorities at the St. Theresa's Hospital at Nkoranza.

The victim, a primary class three dropout from a broken home at Fiema in he Nkoranza District of Brong-Ahafo was allegedly raped by Kwadwo Amofa, 30, a palm wine tapper from Nyinase, a farming community also in the Nkoranza District.

Madam Abena Nsiah, the victim's grandmother told the Ghana News Agency at the hospital that the girl lived at Nyinase where the father was farming after the parents' marriage broke up.

Madam Nsiah said the victim had alleged that about four days earlier when her father and all other family members were away Amofa entered their house, forced her into one of the rooms and sexually assaulted her on two occasions.

The victim revealed the matter to her father only after she fell ill and bled from the private part she said, adding that a report was made to the police who arrested the suspect for interrogation.

Police at Nkoranza have confirmed the story and said they were awaiting a medical report from the St. Theresa's Hospital for further action on the case.

Meanwhile, Kwame Baffo, a supervisor at the Nkoranza-Dromankese GPRTU Lorry Station has expressed his appreciation to the "Good Samaritans" who voluntarily offered some financial assistance towards the medical expenses of the victim.

They included Yaw Ntim-Ankra a businessman who doled out ?130,000.00, Nana Kofi Sarpong also a businessman who donated ?50,000.00 and others who gave out between two and five thousand cedis to make up the initial deposit.