Government urged to review punishment for defilement

Ho, Dec. 24, GNA - Government has been called upon to review the punishment for defilement, to include an obligation for those who commit that crime to bear the cost of medical treatment of their victims. This is because the current punishment, which prescribed only jail terms for those who commit the crime, leaving their victims to their fate, was not the best.

Ms. Caroline Ahorkonu, Secretary of the Volta Regional branch of the Ghana Network for Peace Building (GHANEP) made the call at a press conference organized by GHANEP in Ho on Wednesday. She said where a perpetrator of defilement was incapable of paying for the cost of treatment for the victim then additional term of imprisonment should be imposed on him.

Ms Ahorkonu said research has shown that most victims of defilement have been compelled by their inability to pay for their medical treatment to accept terms dictated by the offenders.