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Police officer interdicted for impregnating and defiling girl, 12

A police officer has defiled and impregnated a 12-year-old girl

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The Ghana Police Service says it has interdicted Lance Corporal Emmanuel Bartels, for allegedly defiling and impregnating a twelve year old girl.

Lance Corporal Emmanuel Bartels allegedly defiled and impregnated the girl seven months ago.

Lawyer for the victim, Francis Sosu in a press conference with the family on Thursday, accused the police service of attempts to shield the Officer, who is believed to be highly connected politically.

But the Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Effia Tenge, said the suspect,  Lance Corporal Emmanuel Kwamena Bartels, has been interdicted.

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Earlier, Lawyers and family members of a 12-year-old girl have accused the Ghana Police Service of covering up the case.

Addressing a press conference in Accra yesterday, the team of human rights and public interest lawyer, Mr. Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu together with the family members of the victim and residents of Abeka-Lapaz, demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of Lance Corporal Bartels, who is reported to be the bodyguard of the Minister for Communications, Dr. Edward Omane-Boamah, for defiling and impregnating the 12-year-old girl.

Mr. Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, decried the continuous silence of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) over the sexual abuse of the little girl and demanded justice in the matter.

Mr. Sosu attacked DOVVSU and Ghana Police Service for what he described as a "sinister plot by the two security institutions to cover up the dastardly act, whilst calling on the Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Gender and Social Protection and Parliamentary Select Committee on Gender to ensure that the Ghana Police Service do the right thing by bringing Lance Corporal Bartels to book.

Mr. Sosu provided a documentary proof to back their claims that Lance Corporal Bartels defiled the victim three times which situation resulted in the pregnancy.

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He said the victim and her family would not be at peace until the police officer was arrested.He noted that Lance Corporal Bartels, with strong family ties to the popular Bartels family, impregnated the minor some seven months ago.

But several attempts by the victim’s family to get the Ghana Police Service to punish the errant officer had been disregarded, he added.

Mr. Sosu further alleged that there was a clandestine move by some powerful people in society and the police service to cover up the crime, and thus called on the police to investigate the matter and allow justice to prevail.

The father of the victim, Mr. Mawunyegah, who supported the lawyer’s call, said Lance Corporal Bartels rented an apartment from him at Abeka Lapaz.

He said the police man took advantage of his absence and defiled his daughter on three separate occasions.

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According to him, the little girl is now seven month pregnant, stressing that what is baffling is police reluctance to arrest and prosecute the police man because of his connections with the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

"How do we guarantee the safety and chastity of our children if these people are not made to face the full rigours of the law,” Mr. Mawunyegah quizzed.

“…because she is poor, and also coming from a broken home she has to deal with her seven month pregnancy alone," he lamented.

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