Chief Superintendent Benjamin Baxten has issued a stern caution to traditional leaders and family heads within the Upper Manya Krobo District, condemning the alarming practice of trading serious sexual offenses for out-of-court settlements.
The Asesewa District Police Commander expressed profound dismay during a community sensitisation forum organised by the National Commission for Civic Education at Otrokpe, maintaining that compromising on defilement and related crimes constitutes a felony.
Statistical records presented by the commander reveal that the district command logged fifty-seven domestic violence incidents, nine defilement cases, two attempted rapes, and three rape cases between January and September of this year.
Despite these figures, the seasoned police administrator lamented that a vast majority of such violations remain concealed due to interference from parents, family elders, and local authorities who prefer clandestine home resolutions over formal legal pathways.
Such misconduct severely undermines the pursuit of justice, according to the commander, who emphasised that sexual violence and abuse are grave criminal matters rather than domestic disputes fit for mediation involving monetary compensation, drinks, or livestock.
Local residents, parents, and custodians of tradition have therefore been urged to safeguard vulnerable minors by promptly reporting all instances of gender-based violence to law enforcement agencies to facilitate thorough investigations and subsequent prosecutions.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
