By: Kekeli K. Blamey
Credit: Kekeli K. Blamey
The woman who was seen with a 12-year-old girl at the Democracy Hub street protest has been charged with the offence of exposing a child to danger.
The Ghana Police Service has said the woman, Grace Asantewaa is 50-years-old and not 68 years as claimed.
In a statement, the police said she had brought the 12-year-old girl to the protest and at the time of the arrest, the police did not separate her from the child as a guardian.
The two were taken to the police station where she was granted a police enquiry bail to enable her go home with the child.
“Following the arrests, the attention of the Ghana Police Service has been drawn to reports suggesting that a 12-year-old child, a 68-year-old woman, and a pregnant woman were among those arrested and detained. We would like to categorically state that all these are false. We, therefore, urge the public to disregard these reports and treat them with the contempt they deserve,” the police update statement signed by Grance Ansah-Akrofi, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and Director of Police Public Affairs said.
The police explained that in “the case of the 12-year-old child and the 68-year-old woman, in the course of the arrest, Police realized that one of the suspects, Grace Asantewaa, a 50-year-old woman, who is being reported as a 68-year-old, had a child with her.”
“In order not to separate the child from the woman, the child was allowed to accompany her to the Police Station. At the Police Station, Police provided the child with food and for the sake of the child, her guardian, Grace Asantewaa, was granted a Police enquiry bail and allowed to go home with the child.”
It said the Ghana Police Service has charged Grace Asantewaa with the offence of exposing a child to danger, by bringing her to the demonstration grounds, contrary to section 71 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
“We would like to use this opportunity to advise members of the public to be mindful of involving our beloved children in activities that have the potential to expose them to danger,” the police statement added.
Pregnant woman
On the issue of the reported arrest and remand of a pregnant woman without providing her with medical care, the police said it is not true that one of the accused persons in the Democracy Hub street protest case was pregnant and the police have kept her in custody without medical care.
In the press statement updating the public on police actions on last weekend’s street protest, the police explained that in the case of the alleged pregnant woman, Gloria Vera Louise, “We would like to clarify that at the time of the arrest, there was no visible indication that she was pregnant.”
“Additionally, at no point during the arrest or subsequent interactions did the said suspect inform the Police of a pregnancy.”
“Again, there was no communication to the court of any such condition, either by herself or through her lawyers.”
The police in the update described as number seven on the Democracy Hub protest explained that in order to establish the veracity or otherwise of the claim in the public domain of the alleged pregnancy, the Police took the initiative and sent her to the Police Hospital and an independent health facility for a thorough medical examination.
“Both medical results came out negative, suggesting that Gloria Vera Louise, is not pregnant as claimed,” the statement added.
