Six persons have been dragged before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly forcing a 12-year-old girl to get married to a man who is more than twice her age.
The accused persons are made up of both parents of the victim as well as that of the groom and the Imam of Abeka Zongo in Accra.
The accused persons succeeded in tying the knot between the minor and her 26-year-old ‘husband’, Prince Hakeem Sharif Dekeeney.
The husband is said to have stated in his police caution statement that he had paid a bride price to the parents of the minor for her hand in marriage.
The accused persons are Mohammed Kamal Yussif, 53 and Rufkatu Abdellah, 49 (parents of victim); Shariff Iddris, 56 and Adizatu Alhassan, 53 (parents of groom); Prince Hakeem Sharif Dekeeney, groom; and Sheikh Abas Saleh, 49 – Imam of Abeka Zongo.
The six are before the court charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit crime, abetment and forced marriage.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges and their lawyer prayed the court to grant them bail pending trial.
Three other suspects, Sheikh Hidir Iddris Adams, Sheikh Amin Osuman and Sheikh Dr. Bashir Adams, are currently on the run.
The court presided over by Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku granted them bail in the sum of GH¢10,000.00 each with one surety each. The case has been adjourned to October 8, 2018.
Meanwhile, the court has ordered that the victim, who has been sent to the Osu Shelter Home, be released into the care of the assemblyman for Abeka, Umar Abdul Mumeen, for her to continue school.
The court further ordered the assemblyman to report back to the court if at any point he feels he can no longer take care of the victim.
Presenting the fact, the prosecution led by ASP Agnes Boafo told the court that on July 26, 2018, at about 10 am, the Tesano Division of Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) had information that the victim had been married to Prince Hakeem Sharif Dekeeney.
She said on August 16, 2018, the accused persons were arrested and the victim was rescued and taken to the Osu Shelter Home.
The prosecution stated that the victim was later taken to the hospital for medical examination and it was discovered that she had engaged in sexual intercourse.
Upon interrogation, the victim told the police that she had sexual intercourse with one Kwame and not Prince Hakeem Sharif Dekeeney, her supposed husband.
She, however, failed to assist the police in getting the said Kwame arrested for defilement. The police are still making efforts to get him arrested.
ASP Agnes further stated that Prince Hakeem Sharif Dekeeney in his caution statement to the police indicated that he paid bride price to the victim’s parents.
She added that investigations revealed the marriage ceremony was graced by the Imam of Abeka, Sheikh Abas Saleh.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak