The Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) has called on the Ghana Police to immediately arrest the culprit who defiled the 4-year-old girl in Assin Dadientem in the Central Region.

A statement by the group, issued on Friday, October 27 said: “The AWMA is issuing this statement to draw your attention and to strongly denounce the alleged defilement of a four year-old girl in Assin Dadientem in the Central Region, as reported in the media on Tuesday, 24th October, 2017. The girl is alleged to have been defiled by a young man in the community, who has so far escaped punishment for his alleged crime. The chief of the town, as well as the police, have reportedly been reluctant to bring him to book.

“Many right thinking members of the society, human rights activists and gender advocates have condemned the incident in no uncertain terms. AWMA is joining calls by the public for justice to be served to the victim.”

The statement added: “The Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA) as women, mothers and women’s rights advocates, call on your esteemed office to seek justice for the little innocent child. We seek amongst other: The immediate transfer of the case to the National Police Headquarters in Accra, due to the lackadaisical attitude of the Municipal Police Command in handling the case; Immediate arrest of the suspect, pending full investigations; A special prosecutor to immediately handle the investigation; Immediate arrangement of the case before a competent court of jurisdiction; Immediate medical attention for the victim in Accra by the Social Welfare Department and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection; Support and protection for the mother and child who may become targets of families and friends of the alleged suspect.

“The state must declare ZERO TOLERANCE for DEFILEMENT and RAPE. Defilement has a face - it is that of a 4-year-old girl, suffering in ASSIN DADIENTEM. Let not the STATE fail HER and the many others suffering in pain and anger!”