Mpraeso, April 30, GNA - A Fulani cattle owner at Nkawkaw has appeared before Mpraeso Circuit Court presided over by Mr Alex Owusu Ofori for offering his 12-year-old step daughter to marry his 52-year-old brother. Alhaji Maaju Abubakari pleaded not guilty to the charge of force marriage and accepting dowry.

His brother, Alhaji Aliu Gariba who is based in Nigeria, pleaded not guilty to the charge of trying to marry an under-aged girl. They have been granted 10,000 Ghana cedis bail each to reappear on May 5.

Prosecuting, Detective Inspector Christian Apronti told the court that last year Alhaji Gariba visited his brother at Nkawkaw where he met the girl in his house and expressed interest in marrying her. The Prosecutor said Alhaji Abubakari, who is the head of the Fulani community in the Kwahu area, informed the step daughter that his brother wanted to marry her but she refused. Alhaji Abubakari directed Alhaji Gariba to contact the grandfather of the step daughter to perform the marriage rites since he could use his position to convince the step daughter and her mother to accept the marriage.

He said Alhaji Gariba performed the customary rite without the consent of the girl and later, with the assistance of her stepfather, the girl was lured to Mpraeso Zongo to complete the final customary rites. Detective Inspector Apronti said on January 19, Alhaji Abubakari and Gariba attempted to forcibly send the girl to Nigeria in a private car but when they got to a police check point at Nkawkaw, the girl started screening that she would not go any where with them. He said police personnel at the check point became suspicious and questioned the girl after which she was sent to the Domestic Violence and Victim's Support Unit.

Alhaji Abubakari was compelled to dissolve the marriage and allow the girl to continue her education. The Prosecutor said the two accused persons were granted police enquiry bail to report periodically to the police but the police had a tip-off that they were planning to send the victim to Nigeria. They were re-arrested and charged with the offence while the victim had been placed under the care of the Department of Social Welfare.