The whereabouts of a woman seen being abused in a viral video have become a subject of public discourse with the Bawku West District Assembly and the Ghana Police Service giving conflicting information about her condition and location.
On the 13th of June 2023, the police posted a message on its official Facebook page saying: “The four suspects (involved in the abuse) are currently in police custody and assisting the investigation while efforts continue to arrest other accomplices to face justice. Meanwhile, we are in touch with the victim and her family and arrangements have been made for a police clinical psychologist to provide her psycho-social support”.
But the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Bawku West, Ahmed Issahaku Tahiru, told Word News that the woman in question had fled to an unknown location with her relations. He, however, said calm had returned to the Kopella community, where the incident took place, and added that the assembly together with the Chief of Binaba and other stakeholders were working together to resolve the situation to ensure lasting peace in the area.
“The Kusasi woman she is at home. I have visited her personally, the other (Fulani) woman, I understand she and her family, they have fled away, it is the police that is now tracing to know where she is and then to also question her”
The woman was reportedly attacked by some Fulani men when she went to a forest to pick shea-nuts. He said she sexually assaulted by the men who also knifed her in the arms, legs and breasts. The woman returned home and narrated her ordeal to her husband.
According to the Assemblyman, the matter was reported to the police three weeks ago. The police promised to investigate the matter. But when the Kusasi members of the community did not hear from the police on time, they launched a reprisal attack on the Fulani community. He said the Fulani men fled the area on seeing the Kusasi men, leaving behind the woman who was eventually captured in the viral video stripped and molested.
“The police and the soldiers are fully aware that it’s a misunderstanding which the police initially could not control but had to call the soldiers for reinforcement. So, the Fulanis are many in the area but because they are alleged to have done it, they fled the town. Now, they wish they could come back,” the Assemblyman said.
He also disclosed that the victim was taken to the district police command for laboratory test at the Zebilla District Hospital to know whether she had contracted any infection through rape she suffered.
“Our Member of Parliament (Cletus Avoka) and the District Chief Executive are fully aware of the issue which happened in Kopella three weeks ago,” he added.
He also said the young men, four in number, who attacked the Fulani woman were arrested at 2: 00 am on 13 June 2023 and were in police custody in Bolgatanga, the capital of the Upper East Region.
“So, the community members are liaising with the Member of Parliament and the District Chief Executive to see how they could secure bail for the four young men,” he said.
By: Gaspard Ayuureneeya/mywordfmonline.com