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Opinions of Tuesday, 21 April 2015

Columnist: Bernice Owusuwaa

Is justice for women in rape cases going to be affected after Ada's incident?

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In Ghana just like other countries, one does not need to experience rape to understand the seriousness of it as a crime; this is because rape is treated as a felony and accused persons found guilty are severely dealt with by the laws of the country.

Five to 25 years imprisonment awaits any person found guilty of rape under Section 97 of the Criminal Offences Act, 29/60.

For the purpose of this write-up, I will adopt a working definition from the oxford dictionary; which defines rape as the abduction of a woman, especially for the purpose of having sexual intercourse with her.

The same dictionary defines gang rape as the rape of one person by a group of other people.

On Monday, April 13, 2015 a female YFM presenter, named Adaeze Onyinyechie Ayoka of the Western regional branch of the station was reported kidnapped, gang raped with nude pictures of her uploaded onto her Facebook page by her abductors.

Days after regaining consciousness at the GHAPOHA hospital in Takoradi, investigations by the Ghana Police revealed it was the fifth (5th) time the same Miss Ada has been reported kidnapped and gang raped.

The Greater Accra Regional Police led by ASP Efia Tenge in a press conference to clear all doubts about the ongoing case said the lady at the centre of the alleged abduction and sexual assault orchestrated the entire episode to get back at her ex-boyfriend.

According to ASP Efia Tenge, the lady is also not a Nigerian as had initially been reported but a Ghanaian born under the name Naana Akosua Appiah Antwi but had changed her name after she had been adopted by a Nigerian family.

Considering the swift intervention of the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection unit; pleading and urging the public to desist from sharing the nude pictures to protect the plight and dignity of the lady in question, goes to confirm the ministry’s reaction to protection and violence issues in the country.

However what really ignited this piece is the fear that Ghanaian women will have difficulty to have the right to fight for justice concerning rape cases.

Even though Miss Ada has not spoken a word about her case, I fear the future of the Ghanaian woman in seeking justice is bleak.

Having deceived Ghanaians for their sympathy and support which was rendered due to the gory nature of her ordeal, and then later finding out it was just a staged act to get back at her ex-lover, is totally uncalled for.

Will the cry and plea from any woman in future for justice for being raped be taken serious by Ghanaians?