News
Daughter exposes father for defiling step-daughter
The rate at which some fathers are accused of either engaging in sex with their biological daughters or step-daughters is quite alarming.
This abominable act is gaining currency in the country and should be nipped in the bud.
As of now, a 43-year-old unemployed, Mr. KwawErmerlehAgovi, a resident of Ofankor in Accra is being tried by the Accra Circuit Court “5” for allegedly defiling his eight-year-old step daughter.
The accused who mounted the dock on Monday charged with defilement contrary to section 101 (2) of Criminal Offences Act 1960, Act 29, however, denied the offence.
The Presiding Judge, Mrs. Christina Cann granted him GH¢60,000.00 bail with three sureties, two of whom should be Public or Civil Servants and earning not less than GH¢3,000.00 a month.
She adjourned the case to June 14, 2021, for Case Management Conference (CMC), but ordered the accused to stay away from the victim, who is presently staying with her aunty at Tantra Hill.
Paradoxically, it was an 18-year old biological daughter of the accused who reported the immoral conduct of her father to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service at Tesano leading to his arrest.
Relating the circumstances or facts of the matter to the court, the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire, said that Mr. Agovi with his biological daughter and the step daughter (Victim) lived in a three-bedroom apartment but each had a separate room.
He said that the accused had been sneaking into the room of the eight-year-old victim anytime she was alone to have sex with her.
This, according to the prosecutor, became unbearable to the small girl until the complainant (accused’s daughter) saw her step sister crying at about 5:00am on April 24, 2021, and decided to find out the cause.
He said that the victim confided in the complainant that the accused had been engaging in sexual intercourse with her.
Chief Inspector Atimbire said that armed with this piece of information, the 18-year-old daughter of the accused devised means of monitoring her father to be cock sure that the allegation levelled against him was true or otherwise.
He told the court that in the course of monitoring, the complainant detected that her father (accused) had been sneaking into the victim’s room at night.
He said that on April 29, 2021, at about 12:00 midnight Mr. Agovi as usual, sneaked into the victim’s room, undressed himself and the victim, and was preparing to lie on her when the complainant rushed into the room and caught her father red handed.
The prosecutor said that the accused threatened to kill the
complainant if she revealed his conduct to either anyone or to the
police.
And for the fear of her father’s death threat, the complainant ran away from home and reported the issue to DOVVSU for action to be taken.
Chief Inspector Atimbire said that the accused was later arrested and put before court after police investigation and receipt of the victim’s medical report from the hospital.
The case continues on Monday, June 14, 2021.
By Castro Zangina-Tong
A woman who is accused of bolting with ‘susu’ money totaling GH₵156,445 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Martha Nana Esi Afful was alleged to have collected the money from 35 complainants.
Charged with 35 counts of fraudulent breach of trust, Martha, who was earlier remanded, pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mr Joseph Y. Kuunsong on Wednesday, admitted the accused person to a GH₵200,000 bail with two sureties.
One of the sureties, the court said, must be a public servant earning not less than GH₵5,000.
She is expected to reappear on August 12, 2026.
The Prosecution’s case before the court is that the complainants are traders and residents at La in Accra.
Prosecution described Martha as a ‘Susu’ collector, who resided at Burma Camp.
The court heard that the accused person run a business with the name ‘ZOE’ and she deceived the 35 complainants into believing that she collected ‘Susu’ daily, which was kept for a period of one-three years, and paid interest on the money invested.
The complainants contributed in 2023 for a three-year period, prosecution said.
In December 2025, when the complainants went to take their money with interest, Martha went into hiding and only took phone calls from a few complainants.
Prosecution said the accused provided a MTN Momo number through which a few of the complainants still paid monies.
It said all efforts made to collect the money, totaling GH₵156,445 from her, proved futile.
On June 14, 2026, a report was made to the police and Martha was picked up at a washing bay at Tse Addo.
During interrogation, she admitted the offence in her caution statement, saying she lost her husband and relocated to Swedru in the Central Region, hence the complainants were unable to reach her from December 2025 till date.
Prosecution said Martha further stated that she had invested the monies into refuse collection business and she needed time to pay the amount.
Police are investigating the claims. –GNA
A Public Health Nurse at the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal of the Ayawaso West Health Directorate, Ms Patience Adoli Kporxah, has cautioned the public against coming into contact with floodwaters, warning that exposure can lead to serious diseases, infections and injuries.
Floodwater, she said, should always be treated as contaminated, regardless of how clean it appears, because it may contain sewage, human and animal waste, chemicals, fuel, sharp objects and disease-causing micro-organisms.
In an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Thursday, Ms Kporxah explained that contact with contaminated floodwater exposes people to bacteria, viruses, parasites, hazardous chemicals and other physical hazards that can result in illness or injury.
Her advice came in the wake of recent exposure to floodwater following Monday’s torrential rains that left vast areas of the capital flooded.
As a result, a lot of people were seen either ‘swimming’ in the floodwater to rescue people or retrieving items being washed away.
According to her, exposure to floodwater could cause skin infections, particularly where there are cuts or open wounds, as well as diarrhoea diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other forms of gastroenteritis if contaminated water was swallowed.
Other health risks, she said include hepatitis A, eye and ear infections, tetanus in people with untreated wounds or incomplete vaccination, and injuries from submerged sharp objects, debris or electrical hazards.
Ms Kporxah advised anyone who had contact with floodwater to monitor their health closely and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe headache, muscle aches, skin rash, difficulty breathing, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
She also urged people whose wounds became red, swollen, painful or begin to discharge pus, as well as those who accidentally swallow floodwater, to report to the nearest health facility without delay.
Although not everyone exposed to floodwater requires immediate treatment, she stressed that pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, individuals living with chronic illnesses and those with significant wounds should seek prompt medical evaluation.
On water safety, Ms Kporxah cautioned that rainwater was not automatically safe for drinking or cooking, especially during or after flooding. She explained that rainwater collected from roofs, gutters or open containers could be contaminated by bird and animal droppings, dust, leaves, bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical pollutants.
She advised that rainwater intended for drinking should first be treated by boiling, chlorination or another approved water purification method before use.
Touching on food safety, Ms Kporxah said factory-sealed bottled drinks and canned foods with intact packaging might still be safe after flooding.
However, she stressed that any containers submerged in floodwater should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before handling. Foods in paper packaging, damaged containers or products with broken seals should be discarded because contaminated water may have seeped into them.
She further warned that flooding increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases through contaminated water sources.
In addition, she said flooding could contribute to respiratory illnesses in overcrowded shelters and mould-infested buildings, foodborne illnesses from spoiled or contaminated food, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression and trauma.
It could also disrupt access to medicines and healthcare for people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, asthma and kidney disease.
Ms Kporxah therefore urged the public to practice good hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, consume only safe food and drinking water, and seek medical attention promptly whenever symptoms develop.
She said observing these preventive measures would help minimise the risk of disease outbreaks and protect lives as the country continues to experience heavy rains and flooding in some communities.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
