senior broadcast journalist with Multimedia Group Limited’s Adom Brands, Abena Opokua Ahwenee.
A senior broadcast journalist with Multimedia Group Limited’s Adom Brands, Abena Opokua Ahwenee, has raised serious concerns over the handling of an alleged incest and defilement case involving a police officer and his teenage daughter, questioning both the pace of investigations and the public disclosure of the minor’s identity.
Her concerns follow a press release issued by the Ghana Police Service through the Ashanti North Regional Police Command on 9 May 2026 regarding allegations against Inspector Desmond Owusu Afriyie, who is reportedly stationed at Mampongten in the Ashanti Region.
In the statement signed by ASP Emmanuel Agbodzi, the Police confirmed that the case, involving alleged defilement and incest, is under active investigation by the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) at Agona District.
According to the Police statement, the complaint was lodged on 4 November 2025 by Charlotte Samaa of Koforidua on behalf of her daughter, identified in the release as Cecilia Owusu Afriyie, who was described as a 14-year-old victim alleging sexual abuse by her biological father.
The statement further indicated that following the report, the victim was referred for medical examination at a government health facility to aid investigations.
Police disclosed that on 20 February 2026, Inspector Owusu Afriyie reported himself to Agona DOVVSU, where he was arrested and cautioned. According to the statement, he denied the allegations and was subsequently granted enquiry bail pending investigations.
Read Also: Wife accuses Police Inspector husband of sexually abusing teenage daughter.
The Police also noted that the officer has since been interdicted to pave the way for further investigations.
However, reacting to the development, Abena Opokua Ahwenee criticised the handling of the matter, particularly the decision to publicly disclose what she described as sensitive details capable of further traumatising the child.
“A child needed protection. The system exposed her instead,” she stated.
According to the journalist, while the Police response itself is acknowledged, the release of the minor’s full identity represents a serious breach of child protection standards and has left the girl vulnerable to public scrutiny and emotional distress.
“This has left the young girl exposed, traumatised, and facing difficult confrontations from peers who are now aware of the painful circumstances surrounding her abuse,” she stated.
She noted that the case had previously been reported without revealing the victim’s identity in line with established child protection protocols, but argued that the latest Police statement had compromised that protection.
Abena Ahwenee further highlighted disturbing details allegedly provided by the victim regarding years of abuse.
Read Also: Police Inspector interdicted over alleged defilement of 14-year-old daughter
According to her account, the victim claimed the abuse began when she was just 10 years old while living with her father in Garu.
The journalist stated that at age 11, after allegedly being given medication to terminate a pregnancy, the child reportedly confided in a doctor at Garu Presbyterian Hospital, which subsequently led to a Police report.
Despite those earlier reports, she questioned why decisive intervention was not immediately taken.
“Reports suggest that although it reached police authorities in Garu and Bolgatanga, no decisive action was taken at the time,” she noted.
The journalist further alleged that the victim described prolonged abuse under threats, including being locked up and deprived of food.
According to her statement, medical reports later confirmed that the girl is HIV positive, while the accused officer has also reportedly admitted to being HIV positive.
She added that even after the child was relocated to Agona Jamasi for care, the alleged abuse is said to have continued.
Abena Ahwenee subsequently raised a series of questions about the conduct of the investigation and the delays surrounding the case.
“Why was this case not pursued with urgency from the outset?” she asked.
“Why did earlier reports fail to trigger decisive intervention? And why, months after a formal complaint was lodged at the Agona District Police Command in November, is interdiction still described as ‘ongoing’?”
According to her, the seriousness of the allegations demands more than procedural updates and administrative processes.
“The gravity of this case demands more than procedural updates — it requires swift, transparent, and decisive action,” she stressed.
She concluded by emphasising that the protection of vulnerable victims, especially minors, must remain the foremost priority in cases involving sexual abuse and incest.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.