The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service has thwarted moves by a Ghanaian family to marry their 15-year-old daughter to her 40-year-old cousin.

The 15-year-old girl is said to a pupil of Markaz Islamic Junior High School at Abirem-Wamasi in the Kwabre East Municipality, Ashanti Region.

Ghanaian laws do not permit people under 18 years to marry as moves to clampdown on marriage intensifies.

The father of the victim has been arrested, caution statement taken from him and detained, according to the Ashanti Regional DOVVSU Coordinator, DSP Prince Odom Kwaku Duah.

“We had the information that two families were preparing to give out the girl who is 15 years of age…. The laws of the land says that before a girl is given out in marriage, she should be 18 years. Fortunately, we were able to get the girl and arrest her father who is in our custody now and a statement is being taken from him,” he said.

DSP Kwaku Duah says police believe the victim's father is not alone and that both families are complicit in a secret crime.

He also revealed that the 40-year-old man was on his way from Mali to Ghana and that he will be arrested as soon as he steps foot in Ghana.

“We believe that he is not alone… It is a secret crime and both families are equally guilty and for that matter, they do not want to disclose whatever they want to do," he said.

"We are told that the man who is coming to marry the lady is on his way from Mali to Ghana so we have set our investigative machinery in place so as soon as he gets into Ghana we’ll get him arrested.”