Ninety per cent of child abuse cases in the country are resolved outside the formal legal system due to interference by influential individuals, the Chief Executive Officer of Child Rights International (CRI), Mr Bright Appiah, has alleged.
He said such interference denied abused children justice, weakened the rule of law and emboldened offenders.
Mr Appiah made the disclosure in Accra yesterday when he addressed a media engagement on challenges confronting the prosecution of child abuse cases.
According to him, CRI had observed a persistent trend where chiefs, politicians, religious leaders and other influential persons pressured families to settle child abuse cases outside court.
“Offences committed against children are not private family matters but crimes against both the child and the State,” Mr Appiah said, stressing that attempts to resolve such cases outside the justice system compromised accountability and exposed children to further harm.
He explained that many parents found it difficult to resist pressure from powerful figures in their communities, resulting in cases reported to the police failing to proceed to court.
In some instances, he indicated, cases that reached court were repeatedly adjourned, causing families to abandon the process out of frustration.
Mr Appiah described the situation as troubling, noting that justice played a critical role not only in punishing offenders but also in helping victims heal.
“When abuse is left unaddressed or privately negotiated, the psychological impact on children can be profound and long-lasting,” he said.
He noted that abused children often required counselling, psychological support and medical care, adding that the formal justice process helped validate a child’s experience and restore their sense of safety.
Mr Appiah also emphasised the importance of deterrence, stating that adults who committed crimes against children must face the full rigours of the law, including fines or imprisonment.
Touching on juvenile offenders, he said they must go through structured legal and rehabilitation processes to correct their behaviour and prepare them for reintegration into society.
Moreover, he announced that CRI had intensified efforts to track child-related cases and was prepared to name and shame individuals who interfered with justice, regardless of their status.
Mr Appiah called on law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and the public to resist interference and ensure that child abuse cases were handled strictly within the law.
BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG
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