A 28-year-old Kumasi-based woman is battling the trauma of a gang rape ordeal that has left her pregnant and emotionally shattered — an incident that
A 28-year-old Kumasi-based woman is battling the trauma of a gang rape ordeal that has left her pregnant and emotionally shattered — an incident that raises fresh concerns about sexual violence, police accountability, and the persistent culture of silence in Ghana.
The woman, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons, told CCF that her life took a devastating turn on May 3, 2025 — a day that was meant to mark her birthday.
She had travelled to Twifo Praso in the Central Region in search of work to repay a loan, but the journey ended in horror.
The Attack
According to her account, she arrived at the Twifo Praso lorry station late in the afternoon and boarded a taxi heading toward her destination.
Inside the vehicle were the driver and one other male passenger.
At a location near Atieku, close to Daboase in the Western Region, the two men stopped the taxi, pulled out a knife, and violently assaulted her.
She says both men took turns raping her before robbing her of her belongings, including her phone, cash, and other personal effects.
The Aftermath
In a desperate attempt to prevent pregnancy, the victim says she took multiple contraceptive pills in the days following the assault.
However, weeks later, she discovered she was pregnant.
The news was a crushing blow, especially as she has been managing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a medical condition that already posed challenges to her reproductive health.
“I felt like my life was over,” she said, adding that the assault had left her depressed and battling suicidal thoughts.
Police Response and Alleged Settlement
Determined to seek justice, she reported the matter to the Daboase Police.
But according to her, what happened next further compounded her trauma.
She alleges that the families of the accused approached her, pleading to settle the matter privately. Afraid of the public stigma associated with sexual violence, she reluctantly agreed.
She claims the rapists’ family paid GH¢2,000 directly to her, replaced some of her stolen items, and compensated her for damages, including the cost of a destroyed mobile phone.
In total, she says she received nearly GH¢7,000 in what was presented as “reparation.”
However, she also alleges that police officers collected GH¢7,000 from the suspects’ family — money she never saw — before dropping the case entirely.
This, despite the fact that rape is a serious criminal offence in Ghana, which cannot legally be resolved through private settlement.
Fear, Threats, and Stigma
The accused men, who initially went into hiding, later returned to their jobs at the same lorry station.
Shockingly, the woman claims they have since called her on multiple occasions to insult her and threaten her life if she dares to revive the case.
Faced with ongoing threats and intense stigma, she says she regrets ever agreeing to a family settlement but now feels powerless to pursue justice.
“The only way to escape the shame is to end my life,” she confessed.
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