Correspondence from Savannah Region

A twenty-year-old boy is in the custody of police in Damongo for allegedly kidnapping an 8-year-old girl.

The suspect who has been identified as Nicholas was reportedly arrested and handed over to the police after several hours of manhunt.

The incident occurred on Thursday, November 24, 2022, at Alhassan-Kura a suburb of Damongo in the West Gonja Municipal of the Savannah Region.

He is said to have gone around the victim's house at about 10:00pm where the victim was playing under a street light with four other kids.

The suspect reportedly gave the kids Gh¢1.00 each and asked the victim to follow him under the guise of giving her a higher amount.

Allegedly, he lured the minor into a nearby bush which happens to be a cemetery where indigenes of Damongo are laid to rest.

Explaining the incident to GhanaWeb, the Assembly member for the area, Sumaila Rashid Atalia disclosed that the suspect lured the victim using noodles and chicken.

He narrated that the victim at one point got scared and tried screaming but the suspect threatened to kill her if she dares raises an alarm.

The four kids who were left behind upon seeing her being taken into the bush sensed danger and rushed to inform the victim's family whose house was a stone's throw away.

The family of the victim after getting wind of the information raised an alarm and quickly mobilized members of the community to find her.

After hours of searching, suspect Nicholas was apprehended with the victim in the middle of the cemetery under a tree.

According to Assembly Man, it took extra effort to restrain members of the community from manhandling the suspect.

The suspect he said was taken to the police station whiles the victim was taken to St. Anne's hospital for medical examination.

Meanwhile, the Damongo police commander was unavailable to speak on the matter but a source within the command confirmed the incident to GhanaWeb but declined to give further details.

The victim (name withheld) in an exclusive interview immediately after the incident disclosed that the suspect tried having an affair with her before the search team pounced on him.

Also, Infuriated members of the community who spoke to GhanaWeb on condition of anonymity registered their displeasure at the Assembly Man over they what they described as his refusal to allow them to kill the suspect.

They served notice that they won't spare any suspect of any crime when arrested next time.