Tema DOVVSU records 630 cases in first half of 2010

Tema, Aug 19, GNA - The Tema Regional Office of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service recorded a total of 630 cases in the first half of this year.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rebecca Nyamah, Tema Regional DOVVSU Co-ordinator, said they comprised 333 cases for the first quarter, and 297 for the second quarter.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tema on Thursday, DSP Nyamah, noted that the cases were collated from the six stations of the Unit, namely Tema, Ashaiman, Tema New Town, Sakumono, Dodowa and Ada.

DSP Nyamah indicated that Ashaiman topped with 427 cases, while Dodowa and Tema New Town recorded 54 and 50 cases respectively.

She said the Ada desk of the Unit also received 42 cases, followed by 40 for Tema and 16 for Sakumono.

DSP Nyamah indicated that cases of assault topped the data with 313, followed by 66 defilement and 43 cases of threatening.

She stated that other cases the Unit handled during the period, included stealing, rape, attempted abortion, abduction, child trafficking, and insulting behaviour, among others.

The Regional DOVVSU Co-ordinator further stated that out of the 630 cases, seven of them were refused, three closed, while 100 were sent to court for prosecution, out of which five have been convicted and 95 still pending.

DSP Nyamah added that a total of 526 of the cases were still under investigation.

She disclosed that the Unit also recorded a total of 1,021 cases relating to the non-maintenance of family during the first half of this year.

DSP Nyamah said out of this, 827 were settled by the Unit, 130 were sent to the Family Tribunal, 48 to the Social Welfare Department and three each to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and FIDA.

The Tema Regional DOVVSU Co-ordinator reiterated the call on parents, especially fathers, to desist from shirking their responsibility to cater for their children.

She said it was about time parents realized that they would in future benefit from their children, and for that matter they should endeavour to secure the future of their children by giving them proper care and education.