The Central Regional Police Command has arrested a forty-nine-year old fisherman for defiling a 13-year-old girl in Apam, the Central Region.

His arrest followed a video that went viral on social media capturing the man engaged in the unscrupulous act.

A statement shared by the police stated that, “On October 17, 2025, about 1300 hours, the Apam District Police Command received information that on October 16, 2025, a 49-year-old fisherman by the name Samuel Armah, a.k.a Kofi Nyan, had defiled a 13-year-old girl at Mumford, a suburb of Apam. That the suspect lured the survivor into a ghetto at Mumford and defiled her.Police on receipt of information proceeded to the area, and with the assistance of Mumford, task force arrested the suspect.”

The survivor has since been hospitalised at St. Luke Catholic Hospital for examination and treatment.

The statement further explained that after the matter was reported, the case docket was forwarded to the Central Regional office of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) for further investigation.

Upon interrogation at the Unit, the suspect admitted to committing the offence. He was then taken into custody by the police to assist with ongoing investigations.

The statement added that the accused person will be formally charged and brought before the court for prosecution on 23 October 2025.

The command has assured the general public that justice will be served in the matter. It has also appealed to residents of Mumford and its surrounding communities to support efforts to arrest the four accomplices identified as Agoogo, Edina, Kwesi Abbam, and Agya Ankoto, who are currently on the run.

The command has urged anyone with credible information about the whereabouts of these suspects to contact them on 18555 or 0299205854, or to report to the nearest police station.

In 2022, the Central Regional Police Command recorded more than 200 defilement cases within 18 months.

Of the total number, about 147 males were arrested with some absconding and are being pursued to face the law.

A police source told the Ghana News Agency that about 101 cases had been taken to court, and 25 suspects had been charged and convicted.

It blamed the disparities in reporting, arresting, and prosecution of cases on the lack of incriminating evidence, cooperation from victims and families, and legal complexities.

The source condemned the act and attributed the rise in defilement cases to poverty and lack of parental guidance and protection of children, which pushed the victims into the hands of pedophiles.

The source encouraged parents to strictly monitor their children in their usage of  mobile phones, including the sites they visited and their relationships.

Some children get paedophiles online asking them to snap half or full naked pictures of themselves and innocently, some of the children fall prey to such antics.

Parents must, however, devise stringent measures to protect children from smartphones, social media, and paedophiles as the police continued to put in all efforts to ensure that criminal activities were reduced across the region, the source said.

A report by the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit said a lot of cases on sexual-based violence were reported to the Unit, but only about five percent was convicted.

That was because some families later received compensations from the perpetrators and decided to settle the matter at home without considering the physical and psychological effects on the victims.

The practice had derailed the fortunes of many girls in terms of reproductive health and socio-economic well-being, the source said.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP), through its Domestic Violence Secretariat, convened a stakeholders’ meeting to assess existing laws and introduce new strategies aimed at strengthening protections for survivors of domestic violence.

The event, which took place on February 26, 2025, brought together legal experts, social workers, civil society groups, development partners, and other key stakeholders to examine the effectiveness of current domestic violence legislation.

Speaking at the meeting, Gender Minister Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey highlighted the different forms of domestic violence, including physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse.

She pointed out that while these issues were once regarded as private matters, legal advancements have encouraged public discussions and established structured intervention measures.

The Minister pointed out the necessity of incorporating modern technology, including AI and digital tools, into strategies aimed at tackling domestic violence.

At the meeting, legal expert Sheila Minkah-Premo provided an in-depth breakdown of domestic violence legislation, covering Act 732, the Legislative Instrument (L.I.), and the National Plan of Action. She examined the legal structure, detailing its provisions and how they impact survivors and service providers.

Conversations also focused on improving assistance systems for those affected.

As part of this initiative, the Ministry introduced an upgraded Boame SGBV Mobile Application, designed to offer quick support and essential resources to victims of sexual and gender-based violence.

The event reaffirmed the Ministry’s resolve to enhance legal protections and improve the support framework for survivors.

“The advocacy from you as stakeholders cannot be overemphasized, and the Ministry is grateful for your input,” the Minister stated.