A police officer stationed at Guabulga in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region has been arrested following allegations that he handcuffed and sexually assaulted a 17 year old girl after offering her a ride on November 23, 2025.
The officer, identified as Baako, has since been granted bail while the West Mamprusi Municipal police command continues its investigation into the incident, which has sparked outrage among local civil society organizations and child protection agencies.
The victim, whose identity is being protected, is a 2024 graduate of Wulugu Senior High School and a beneficiary of the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), an international organization that supports girls’ education in rural Africa. She had traveled from her village of Nabari to Walewale that Sunday to process an application for recruitment into the security services.
According to Abdul Yazeed Bukari Adam, the West Mamprusi Municipal CAMFED operations officer, the young woman found herself stranded when poor network connectivity delayed her application and evening approached, making it too late to return to Nabari. She decided instead to travel to nearby Wulugu to spend the night with a relative before continuing her journey home the following day.
Reports indicate that while waiting by the Walewale Bolgatanga highway, the uniformed police officer offered her a ride on his motorbike. The officer allegedly told the girl he needed to stop at Guabulga to change out of his uniform before taking her to Wulugu. Once they arrived at his room, the officer allegedly began undressing, prompting the girl to question his actions.
The girl reportedly resisted the officer’s advances, but he allegedly overpowered her after using handcuffs to restrain her. Following the alleged assault, the victim managed to escape and encountered local youth who came to her assistance after hearing her account of the ordeal.
The youth took her to a subchief in the Guabulga community, who referred the matter to the chief of Guabulga, Naa Salifu Mahama Tampuri. The traditional leader summoned the police officer and directed him to pay 1,000 cedis as a medical fee for the young woman, which the officer reportedly paid.
However, the victim’s sister insisted that traditional resolution was insufficient and reported the case to the West Mamprusi Municipal police command, demanding that the officer be arrested and prosecuted according to law. The officer was subsequently arrested but has since been granted police bail pending completion of investigations.
The case has drawn support from multiple organizations including the Programme for Advocacy and Rights Development in Africa (PARDA), CAMFED, Songtaba, and several municipal departments. The community development and social welfare department, along with the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service and other child protection agencies, are all seeking justice for the victim.
DOVVSU is a specialized unit within the Ghana Police Service mandated to protect vulnerable persons, particularly women and children, from all forms of abuse including physical, sexual, emotional and economic violence. The unit provides free services, counseling, legal aid referrals, and coordinates with social welfare agencies to support survivors of domestic violence and abuse.
Abdul Yazeed emphasized the severity of the incident, noting that the victim had been seeking to serve her country through the security services recruitment process when the alleged assault occurred. He described how the officer’s promise to provide safe transport to Wulugu instead led to a traumatic experience that has left the young woman and her family seeking justice through formal legal channels.
CAMFED, which has supported millions of girls across Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe since its founding in 1993, provides comprehensive educational assistance including school fees, uniforms, books and mentorship to help marginalized girls complete their education and transition into successful adulthood.
The organization’s intervention in the West Mamprusi Municipality has helped numerous girls from impoverished backgrounds access secondary education and develop into community leaders. Many CAMFED graduates return to their communities as mentors and advocates for the next generation of girls facing similar challenges.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of young women traveling alone in rural areas and the vulnerability of girls seeking opportunities in security sector recruitment. Civil society groups are calling for swift justice and emphasizing that the alleged abuse of authority by a law enforcement officer makes the case particularly egregious.
The West Mamprusi Municipal police command has assured stakeholders that the investigation is ongoing and that all appropriate procedures are being followed. The case highlights ongoing challenges in addressing sexual violence against minors in Ghana, where cultural practices sometimes prioritize traditional dispute resolution over formal criminal prosecution.
Child rights advocates stress that sexual assault of minors constitutes a serious criminal offense that must be handled through the justice system rather than traditional settlements, regardless of any compensation paid to victims or their families. They argue that only formal prosecution can provide accountability, deter future offenses and deliver justice for survivors.
The outcome of the investigation is being closely monitored by child protection agencies, women’s rights organizations and community members who are demanding that the officer face the full force of the law if found culpable.
