Six months after two young sisters were sexually assaulted in a case that shocked an entire community, their family now finds itself in a harrowing position.
Burdened by mounting medical costs and a stalled police investigation, they say they have been left with no choice but to seek financial help from a relative of the man accused of destroying their children’s lives.
In September 2025, the Bawku Municipality was thrown into outrage when 47-year-old Sulley Fongo allegedly defiled two girls, aged just 4 and 7, on the same day.
Medical reports from the Presbyterian Hospital in Bawku confirmed the severity of the assault, documenting torn hymens, bruises, and tenderness consistent with penetrative injuries.
While the initial shock prompted calls for justice from teachers and advocates, that momentum has since faded. The suspect is reportedly in hiding, while the survivors’ family continues to grapple with the aftermath.
The path to recovery has proven costly. To prevent sexually transmitted infections, the girls require regular injections every three to five months, each costing GH¢350. The combined cost of GH¢700 is beyond what the family can afford.
With no support from state institutions, the family says it has been forced into a painful dilemma.
“We know it is wrong, but what can we do?” a distressed family member said. “The police have abandoned us… who do we turn to?”
Out of desperation, they have accepted financial assistance from Osman Mohammed, an uncle of the accused, who has been covering the girls’ medical expenses. The family describes the arrangement as a survival strategy that comes with deep shame and emotional distress.
The case, which drew regional and national attention, including petitions to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, appears to have stalled.
Community members who once demanded justice have grown silent, citing fear and disillusionment.
“I now fear for my safety. We believed the police would deliver justice, yet the abuser is still walking free,” one resident said. “He could be watching or targeting anyone who speaks out.”
The situation highlights gaps in Ghana’s child protection and justice systems. Although both the Police Service and the Gender Ministry were alerted months ago, the family says it feels abandoned.
For the parents, the focus remains on their daughters’ fragile recovery. But as they accept support from the suspect’s relative, they do so with the painful realization that justice, like the sense of safety they once had, remains out of reach.
A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga
