Accra: Mallam Abdul Razak Iddriss, an Imam at the Hamburg mosque in Maamobi, a suburb of Accra, has exposed the ploy of community leaders to bury a heinous crime committed against a seven-year-old girl.

The girl suffered from the cruelty of her guardian, Ayisha Zakaria, a 24-year-old woman who allegedly burnt the private part and inner thighs of the victim for bedwetting.

Community leaders and the family of the victim were, however, reluctant to seek justice and proper medical attention for the victim.

According to eyewitnesses, the suspect, a resident of Maamobi in the Ayawaso North Municipality, last week Tuesday put an object, suspected to be a spoon, in the fire before plastering the private part of the victim to serve as a deterrent.

The injuries sustained from the burns would catch the attention of school authorities, who followed up on the matter that was supposed to be managed discreetly.

Upon hearing the matter, the youth in the community decided to report the matter to the Nima division of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), who arrested the suspect last week Thursday.

The complainant, Sarki Musah Umar, a youth leader, has, however, withdrawn the case this Monday, and the suspect was released after intense pressure from the family of the victim and community leaders.
Speaking to local media, he said he lacked the community support to proceed with the case and that it was draining his resources.

“Financially I was incapable because I was the only one spending money from going to the hospital to the police station,” he said.

Imam Iddriss during his lecture session on Monday, however, exposed the ploy to deny the victim justice.

In a video of his lecture posted on his social media handles, he called on well-meaning Ghanaians to intervene in the matter.

He called for justice for the young girl and chided the Nima Police as well as community leaders for denying justice to the seven-year-old.

“No matter how poor you are, it is better to have your children closer to you and cater for them. Only a few children who grow up with guardians excel in life,” he said.

The video, which has gone viral, has drawn lots of attention to the plight of the victim, leading to some journalists following up on the matter.

In an interview with local media, he said an amount of GH¢2,000 has been raised to help the girl seek proper medical care at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on Tuesday.