Assault tops cases reported in U/W last year

Source: GNA -  The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service registered 184 reported cases in the Upper West Region last year, with 77 assault cases topping the list....

The Region recorded a total of 155 cases in 2013, with 68 assault cases, Chief Inspector Alfred Dapaah, Station Officer of DOVVSU, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Wa.

He said assault had been a phenomenon among the people and that 16 of the reported cases recorded last year had been sent to court as against 26 cases last two years.

He said seven persons were convicted in 2014 as against eight in 2013.

He said the Region also recorded other cases in the year as follows: 24 defilement cases, 17 abductions, eight parental neglect cases, among others.

He said three persons were awaiting trial while three others had been discharged.

Chief Inspector Dapaah said a number of the cases were withdrawn from his outfit for lack of supporting evidence, while others were referred to the chiefs and traditional leaders for amicable settlement.

He mentioned inadequate transport as some of the problems his outfit faced, as it had only one vehicle to supervise the 10 districts there.

He said the Unit was also faced with lack of witnesses in the court for prosecution because of the Tejaa bong yeni (we are all one) syndrome among the people of Wa, which prevented witnesses from coming forward to assist prosecution.

He said the office was also challenged with furniture and other motivational infrastructure for staff.