Students of the Islamic Girls’ Senior High School (SHS) at Wa, in the Upper West Region, on Monday evening picketed at the forecourt of the Regional Police Command, to demand the release of four of their their teachers, who were invited by the police to assist in investigating an assault case brought against them.
The assault case was reported to the police by a man, who allegedly attempted to rape a student of the school.
The students sat on the bare ground, wailed and demanded the release of their teachers, and asked the police to concentrate on investigating the attempted rape case.
Explaining the incident that led to the picketing of the students to the Ghanaian Times, here on Tuesday, the headmistress of the school, Madam Afisata Salia, said Sharon Gola, 31, who alleged that he was assaulted by the teachers, rather attempted to rape a student of the school.
“The school has no fence wall so outsiders enter the premise without permission and this young man was one of such persons. He was identified by some students as a regular intruder, who had on several occasions attempted to have sexual relations with some of the girls”, she said.
Madam Salia claimed the students reported that Gola had threatened some of them with scissors, knives and other sharp objects, to allow him have carnal knowledge of them, but the students refused.
“Around 2 am on June 15, 2021, one of the girls, who went out of the dormitory to use the toilet was accosted by Gola, who was already around the facility and demanded sex after threatening her with a pair of scissors”, the headmistress claimed.
According to Madam Salia, the student shouted for help, which attracted her mates to the scene, and Gola escaped.
“Some of the teachers, who were able to locate Gola the next day, arrested and handed him over to the police”, she said.
Madam Salia said the case was later transferred to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit for further investigation.
Madam Afisata called on government and other stakeholders to assist the school build a fence wall around the compound.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Gideon Boateng, said the teachers were invited to the police station, and the suspect also reported a case of assault against the school.
He said two of the teachers, who were identified by Gola, were granted self-recognisance bail while the students, who stormed the police station, were dispersed.
Insp Boateng said the police were investigating both incidents of alleged attempted rape and assault.
FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, WA
