A 34-year-old married woman was stripped and assaulted by her
kinsmen for allegedly insulting their chief.
The victim, Adom
Anastasia, a trader and native of Likpe Abrani (in Ghana), is alleged to
have accused Nana Borkeh Akototsey V of licking her private part.
The
Volta regional police command has made some arrests and waiting to
prosecute them.
Anastasia was invited by
Tsiame Kumah and Tsiame David Mensah at Hunnor to appear before the
Mankrado, Togbe Pius Clemefi, the next day, September 25, over alleged
abuse of Nana Borkeh Akotosey.
By 8am that day, the two Tsiames
escorted her to the house of the Mankrado where over 200 community
members were gathered.
She was compelled to kneel before the council.
The
Mankrado said Nicholas Borkeh and Mary Afenyo at Mawuse had reported
that she had abused the chief by saying the distinguished chief had
licked her vagina.
She denied the allegation. After listening to
the witnesses, the Mankrado, in consultation with the elders, found her
guilty and ordered her to be banished from the town.
The Mankrado
also ordered that Anastasia, who has been married for nine years and a
native of the area, be stripped unclad by the crowd at the arbitration
before being banished.
The crowd complied, and apart from
stripping her unclad, they beat her up while others took advantage of
the situation to insert their fingers into her private parts and
sexually assaulted her.
They ordered her to march through the
town unclad while people took photographs of her and mocked her.
She
was also ordered to leave the town at 6pm that day in her uncladness.
The
crowd proceeded to her grocery shop to vandalize and loot it.
Anastasia
Adom said that not even her tears and pleas to the crowd stopped them
from subjecting her to that treatment.
She noted that she was
shocked that her fellow females were part of the torture team.
She
had to use a bush route to her husband who was working in another
village.
She and her husband later reported the case to the
police who made some arrests while others escaped.
Although 18
suspects have so far been identified, nine persons including the two
Tsiames and a female have been arrested to be arraigned soon.
The
Mankrado is said to be indisposed.
The Regional Police
Commander, DCOP Alex Bedie, who narrated the incident, condemned the
actions of the offenders and noted that all others involved would be
arrested and made to face the law depending on the outcome of their
investigations. He said they were likely to be charged with indecent
assault, causing damage and stealing.
He also cautioned chiefs to
also ensure that in exercising their customs and laws they should
ensure that it tallied with the constitution of Ghana.