We might stop pursuing assaulted woman’s case – Gender Minister

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The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba, has said the disinterest by the woman who was brutalized by a mob at Adum in Kumasi, could restrain her outfit from helping her.

The Minister indicated that, her outfit cannot take any action until the victim decides to assist the Police with investigations. “It is possible she might not want to be found. She might be afraid that though she was accused of theft, the Police might arrest her. She might also be afraid that because she has been humiliated her dignity is at stake, and she might not want to be found. Some of these issues are very sensitive. We have made an appeal through the radio to ask anybody who has found her or any hospital to advise her to come out; but it is also her choice if she doesn’t want to come out; so until she comes out, there is very little the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection can do about that.”

A video, which captured some men beating and stripping the alleged female thief naked, went viral on social media a few weeks ago. The incident had angered some Ghanaians who complained about the Gender Ministry’s delay in swiftly taking action on the incident. But the Minister had described criticisms against her ministry as unjustifiable. She explained that her Ministry refused to respond as soon the incident occurred because the details available at the time were scanty.

“I understand some people are saying we did not respond on time; it is a criminal act and you cannot get up and respond without knowing the details. An allegation has been made. Whether it is true or not, it is not for anybody to be the judge…you don’t have the right to judge that person. The law says you are innocent until proven guilty.So it is a process, you cannot get up and start talking about things you don’t know. You don’t know until we work on it.

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