Crime & Punishment of Sunday, 15 May 2016

Source: GNA

Menstruation saves girl from being killed for rituals

File photo File photo

The menstruation of a 15 –year- old girl saved her from being kidnapped for ritual purpose by unknown assailants in the Wassa Amenfi East District of the Western Region.

The mother of the victim, Madam Esther Ankomah, told the media on Friday that her daughter was kidnapped by unknown people last Monday, May 9, at Wassa Akropong around 1700 hours when she was attending choir meeting.

She said, the daughter told her after the rescue that the kidnappers took her to an unknown location, however, when the assailants were undressing her, they noticed that she was in her menstrual period, therefore, the fetish priest told them she was not suitable for the rituals because her condition so she was sent back.

However, to avoid the Police from tracking them, she said the kidnappers blinded-folded her with black handkerchief and left her at a nearby school at Wassa Akropong on Tuesday May 10 and called her parents to come for her using the victim’s phone.

The District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Isaac Kumnipa, stated that although the victim’s mother reported the missing of her daughter on that fateful day they received information about the girl’s discovery the next day.

Therefore, he said, the Police gave the victim’s parents medical forms to attend hospital for medical examination but the girl declined to go.

“In this case, we cannot compel her to go to hospital because that’s her human rights, therefore the Police cannot ascertain the truth in the reported kidnap,” he stated.

ASP Kumnipa, however, advised Ghanaians to be vigilant, especially when approached by strangers for assistance since they cannot easily verify their intentions.