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DOVVSU denies political considerations in “Mame Dokonu’s”
case
Accra, Feb. 6, Ghanadot/GNA – The Domestic Violence and
Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service on
Friday denied that there were political considerations in
the closure of the Peace and Love Orphanage owned by Ms
Grace Omaboe, popularly called Maame Dokono, after an
eight-year-old boy allegedly sodomised a six-month-old baby.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Owusua Kyeremeh, Regional
Coordinator of the Unit, told the Ghana News Agency that the
closure was meant to protect children in the orphanage.
Ms Omaboe, who was a staunch member of the National
Democratic Congress (NDC), switched allegiance to the New
Patriotic Party (NPP) in the run-up to the 2008 elections.
Pictures of the six-month old baby showed a hole in the
baby’s anus making him pass faeces and blood.
She said DOVVSU had charged Ms Omaboe with exposing a child
to harm as stipulated by the Children's Act.
Her self cognizance bail has been revoked and replaced with
a bail of GH¢1,000 Ghana cedis with one surety to report to
the Police Station three times a week due to new revelations
coming up in the investigations.
Mrs Kyeremeh said under the Act, a person under 12 years
cannot be charged with a criminal offence but the parent or
guardian of the child could be charged because of
negligence.
She said the orphanage was operating illegally as its
license had expired since March 2006.
Mrs Kyeremeh said on Thursday she went to the orphanage in
the company of the Public Relations Officer of DOVVSU and
the investigator to invite Ms Omaboe for questioning because
she had failed to attend a planned meeting to face her
accuser who wanted to confront her on some issues concerning
her orphanage.
She said a scuffle ensued when Ms Omaboe refused to
cooperate with them and this triggered insults from Ms
Omaboe.
Mrs Kyeremeh said Ms Omaboe was not even detained but she
was questioned.
She said Ms Omaboe had admitted that she had not visited the
orphanage frequently for some time and it was the assertion
of DOVVSU that Ms Omaboe had been negligent.
Mrs Kyeremeh expressed surprise at the turn of events saying
Ms Omaboe had cooperated since the baby was sent to the
Police Hospital for treatment and the case was referred to
DOVVSU.
The police said Ms Omaboe even asked for assistance from the
Department Social Welfare to take custody of the children
because she could longer cater for them after which a
caution statement was taken from her.
Mrs Kyeremeh said the unit agreed and with the help of the
Department of Social Welfare transferred seven of the
inmates with the intention of the Department managing the
home till all the children were relocated to be followed by
the closure of her orphanage.
The Regional coordinator denied claims by Ms Omaboe that
attempts were made by the officials to forcibly arrest her
even though she had informed them of her willingness to come
to the office with her lawyer.
GNA
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