A 14-year-old girl, who was married to a 35-year-old Nigerien businessman, Mohamed Mutari, has been rescued by the police, at Dodowa, in the Greater Accra Region.
The victim (name withheld), a class five school dropout, was rescued while awaiting transportation to Cote D’Ivoire, to join the husband.
Hawawa Ibrahim, mother of the girl, who said she gave her only daughter’s hand in marriage because of financial difficulties, has been nabbed by the police.
Ghanaian Times has gathered that the victim lives with her step father and four other siblings.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, who confirmed the story to theGhanaian Times, in Accra, yesterday, said the suspect was in police custody assisting in investigations.
DSP Tenge said on October 13, the Kasoa Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) arrested the mother of the victim for giving her teenage daughter’s hand in marriage to Mutari, on October 9, 2020.
The Police PRO said Hawawa was apprehended after a complaint was made to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, after the marriage ceremony was performed.
DSP Tenge said police have mounted a search for Mutari to assist in investigations.
She reminded the public that according to section 14 of the Children Act 560, the minimum age of marriage of whatever kind shall be 18 years and no person shall force a child to be married.
DSP Tenge said any person who contravenes the law is liable to summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five million cedis or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or both.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI
