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Landlords whose facilities are used to harbour underage girls for sexual escapades risk being jailed between seven and 25 years.

According to section 106 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act, Act 2960, “the owner or occupier of any premises or a person acting or assisting in the management of premises who induces or knowingly permits any child of less than 16 years of age to resort to, or be in or on his premises to be carnally known by any person, commits an offence.

It further states that such a person shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than seven years and not more than 25 years.

Abduction

Explaining the law, Mr Boadi Twum of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Cape Coast, said some landlords or facility managers were sometimes aware that some men had abducted young girls or were cohabiting with children under the age of 15 in their properties.

He said “many of the landlords have men living in their houses who have girls under 16 years living with them as ‘wives’. Some have given birth; others are pregnant and living with these ‘husbands’. Such landlords cannot say they don’t know about these acts as they could be prosecuted.

“If it is established that you were aware of such acts and failed to report, you can be jailed for up to 25 years,” he stressed.

He was speaking at a sensitisation programme organised for parents at Assin Asamankese in the Central Region on Domestic Violence.

The programme was organised by the Central Regional Department of Gender and the Central Regional Coordinating Council with support from the United Nations Population Fund.

Surprise

Many of the participants expressed surprise at the law, saying that they did not know what the law stated in relation to landlords and the responsibilities when they let their properties out, but Mr Twum stated that ignorance of the law would not make them escape its consequences.

He advised them to be proactive and report any incidence of abuse and violence in their families and communities to the authorities for action.

Don’t shirk responsibilities

The Assin South Director of Education, Mr Ransford Appiah, called on parents not to shirk their responsibilities but to support their children towards a bright future.

The Central Regional Director of Gender, Mrs Thywill Kpe, urged parents to allow the joint efforts of community members to help bring up the youth into responsible adults.