News
Sexual Abuse of 16-Year-Old Boy: Gender Ministry provides update on
The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (MoGCSP) has taken a keen interest in the reported case of alleged sexual abuse of a 16-year-old footballer, Ransford Owusu Ansah, by his coach, Ibrahim Anyass, at the Siano Soccer Academy in Amasaman, as reported by media outlets.
Upon learning of the incident,the Ashanti Regional Directorate of Gender immediately initiated follow-up investigations to ascertain the facts and engage relevant stakeholders, including the victim’s family.
Findings
Preliminary reports indicate that the victim, Ransford Owusu Ansah, had been under the care of the coach for the past three years, unknown to his mother, he had allegedly been subjected to sexual abuse during that period.
Per the records, the victim had been receiving medical care since December 2024 and was later admitted to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) for medical treatment but unfortunately passed on.
The management of Siano Soccer Academy has suspended the coach and pledged fiull cooperation with law enforcement agencies to ensure that justice is served.
The Ministry empathised deeply with the bereaved family and emphasised that crime has no expiration and therefore remains committed to pursuing justice for the victim and his family.
Minister’s action and ongoing efforts
When she assumed office in February 2025, engaged the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on the matter to ensure accountability and stronger child protection mechanisms within the football sector.
Following this engagement, the Siano Soccer Academy, in addition to suspending the coach, temporarily closed the facility pending investigations.
Thereafter, the Ministry, through its Orange Support Center (OSC) of the Domestic Violence Secretariat,conducted investigations with the Amasaman DOVVSU and later referred the matter to the Greater Accra Regional DOVVSU.
The docket has subsequently been transferred to the Homicide Unit of the CID Headquarters by the Amasaman DOVVSU for further investigations.
The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has indicated that it remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding the welfare, dignity, and rights of every child in Ghana.
Through their decentralised structures including the Departments of Gender, Children and Social Welfare, and the Orange Support Centre, the Ministry continues to collaborate with key partners and law enforcement agencies to ensure justice and protection for all children.
They urged the public to remain vigilant and report all suspected cases of child abuse and violence through the Domestic Violence call centre on 0800-111-222 or at the nearest Social Welfare or DOVVSU office.
The Ghana Police Service has arrested four suspected armed robbers following an intelligence-led operation in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.
The suspects, identified as Abdulai Ibrahim, Amadu Rahman, Amadu Sulemana, also known as Saaga, and Adu Yakubu, were arrested on May 5, 2026.
Investigations indicate that on 4th May 2026, the suspects converged at Gbane, a mining community in the Talensi District, after travelling from Yagaba and Fumbisi to carry out a robbery operation, during which they robbed four motorbikes and several mobile phones.
During interrogation, the suspects admitted to a series of robberies within the Talensi District, along the Yagaba Fumbisi road and the Yagaba-Nanguruma road in the North East Region.
They also confessed to a robbery at the Vikandi Phone Shop in Bolgatanga on 22nd March 2025, which was captured in a viral video in which they were seen wielding an AK47 assault rifle.
They further admitted to multiple robberies at Gbane mining sites, where gold and large sums of money were taken from victims.
The suspects later led Police to a farm near Biung, close to Gbane, where the gang leader, Amadu Rahman, had concealed an AK47 rifle.
A search of the area led to the retrieval of the rifle, with serial number 68100563, and eighty-seven (87) rounds of live ammunition hidden in a fertilizer sack.
During the search to retrieve the weapon, suspect Amadu Rahman collapsed and was rushed to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
His body has been deposited at the hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.
The remaining three suspects are in Police custody and will be put before court to face the full rigours of the law.
Fourteen civil society organisations, including CDD, IMANI and 12 other CSO’shave filed an application at the Supreme Court seeking permission to join a constitutional case challenging parts of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
The groups want to participate in the case of Adamtey v Attorney-General as amici curiae, meaning friends of the court, to provide legal and policy perspectives to assist the court in its determination.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, May 6, the organisations explained that the case raises important constitutional and public interest issues relating to Ghana’s anti corruption framework and the independence of public institutions.
The coalition includes Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Transparency International Ghana, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), Democracy Hub LBG, STAR-Ghana Foundation, NORSAAC, Penplusbytes, the Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP), Odekro Parliamentary Monitoring Organization, A Rocha Ghana, Parliamentary Network Africa (PN Africa), IMANI-Africa, the One Ghana Movement, and Africa Education Watch.
According to the statement, some of the organisations were directly involved in the drafting and parliamentary approval of Act 959 in 2017 and also campaigned for the establishment of the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
It noted that it jointly submitted what it described as one of the most detailed memoranda to Parliament’s Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee during discussions on the bill.
The coalition commended the Supreme Court for increasingly allowing amicus curiae participation in cases involving major constitutional questions.
According to the statement, such participation has helped to broaden public interest perspectives and strengthen constitutional adjudication in Ghana.
The organisations stressed that their intervention is not politically motivated or directed at any individual involved in the case.
“It is motivated solely by a shared commitment to constitutionalism, accountable governance, anti corruption, institutional integrity, and the preservation of independent public institutions established to serve the Republic,” the statement noted.
The coalition expressed confidence that its participation would provide the court with institutional memory, comparative anti corruption standards and constitutional arguments to support a fair determination of the matter.
The applicants are being represented by Kizito Beyuo, Oliver Barker Vormawor, Samson Lardy Anyenini and Clement Kojo Akapame.
By: Jacob Aggrey
