The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Sarah Adwoa Safo, is pained about the gruesome murder of a 10-year-old boy, Ishmael Mensah at Kasoa in the Central Region.

The action of the suspects, she noted, is a testament of the failed morals in the country.

“This disturbing act should be a wake-up call to all Ghanaians, that as a country, we will teach our children that there is dignity in hard work and with it comes the benefits thereof,” the Gender Minister said.

The suspect, Felix Nyarko, 16, and Nicholas Kiki, have confessed to killing the boy for ritual purposes.

The Ofaakor District Court on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, remanded them into police custody to reappear in court on April 20.

The Minister called on the police to expedite action on the investigations and bring the culprits to book.

She also urged the media not to promote the activities of spiritualists on their platforms.

Read the full statement below:

Statement By Minister Of Gender, Children And Social Protection On Gruesome Murder Of 10-Year-Old Boy At Kasoa:

It is with deep sadness that I learnt of the death of a 10-year-old boy at Kasoa who was allegedly brutally murdered for ritual purposes.

My heartfelt condolences go to the family, especially the mother of the young boy whose life has been cut short in such a gruesome manner.

As a mother myself, with a son just around that age, I can imagine her pain and the anguish she is experiencing. The thought of any parent losing a child is unbearable especially under such dastardly circumstances. My heart really goes out to her.

It is disturbing that this grotesque act was committed by teenagers who are barely 16 and 17 years respectively who ideally should have exemplified honorable aspirations for their lives instead of this undignified way to enrich themselves.

This is unfortunately indicative of the reality and times we live in, where a section of our youth would go to every extent to live ostentatious lives without putting in any commensurate hard work and effort.

This disturbing act should be a wake-up call to all Ghanaians, that as a country, we will teach our children that there is dignity in hard work and with it comes the benefits thereof. We seem to have pushed aside the values and attributes of hard work, honesty and service to each other which are the building blocks of every fair and just society.

I also plead with the media to take a tough stand against spiritualists and occultists who openly advertise on their platforms and entice these young ones to engage in these acts. It is time to take the moral right and uphold the values of our nation and safeguard the future of our kids and our dear nation in that regard.

I urge all parents and guardians to be very much interested in the growth of, and also be protective of their wards.

It is refreshing that the Ghana Police Service acted swiftly and apprehended the suspects. I trust in their investigative prowess to unravel the probable motive behind this heinous crime and it is my hope that they will expedite their investigations so we can give the family of young Ishmael the justice and closure they deserve. Once the culprits, who unfortunately happen to be teenagers are tried and convicted, we will be willing and ready to absorb them into our Juvenile Correctional Centre’s under the Department of Social Welfare.

MINISTRY OF GENDER CHILDREN AND SOCIAL PROTECTION

P. O. BOX MBO 186

Ministries – Accra

In case of reply the number and date of this letter should be quoted

Our Ref: …………………………

Your Ref: ……………………….

Tel/Fax No. 0302943172

Date: 6th April, 2021 REPUBLIC OF GHANA

Once again, my sincerest condolences to the family. We will be with you every step of the way.

Thank You.