Assault cases rise in Upper West Region

Statistics from the Domestic Violence and Victim support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service has revealed that assault cases in Upper West Region increased from 179 cases in 2017 to 196 in 2018.

Domestic stealing cases also increased from 17 cases in 2017 to 27 cases recorded in 2018, while cases involving parents abandoning children climbed from 62 to 71 cases in 2018.

Threat to death cases also rose from 35 cases to 44 in 2018 with causing harm cases equally increasing beyond the four cases recorded in 2017.

Inspector Niabi Stella, the Station Officer for DOVVSU in Upper West Region, in an interview Ghana News Agency, said rape cases reported to the Unit, however, reduced to six in 2018 as against 15 reported cases in 2017.

Abduction cases also reduced from 28 cases in 2017 to 10 cases in 2018 and 15 defilement cases were reported to the unit both in 2017 and 2018.

Inspector Stella said in total, 450 cases were reported to the unit in 2018 against 452 cases reported to the unit in 2017 out of which 79 were closed, 20 sent to court and six people were convicted.

However, 13 cases are awaiting trail whiles 381 cases are still under investigation.

She entreated residents in the region to volunteer information to the Unit to enable officers pursue cases in court and prosecute offenders.