The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service in Tafo, a suburb of Kumasi have arrested a 63-year-old man, Alhassan Iddi, for forcing his 13- year-old daughter into marriage.
The marriage ceremony has already been performed and the primary six pupil has been declared wife of the 25 year old man in Libya.
Ashanti Regional Correspondent, Erastus Asare Donkor reports the ceremony was done Sunday morning.
According to him, they had a tip-off and followed the lead but on reaching the home of the suspect, sheep had been slaughtered and the ceremony concluded. They then alerted the police who arrested the suspect.
Alhassan Iddi told the police he gave his blessing to marry out his 13-year-old girl to his nephew and even when he dies the marriage should be recognized.
According to him, per Islamic rites he has every right to marry his young girl out to the nephew but pleaded with the police to have mercy on him because he did not know the action offended Ghana’s laws.
Iddi is known to be notoriously responsible for giving his teen girls out for marriage.
He had already married out two of his daughters, all ten years old, to men said to be in Libya.
He concluded the third marriage ceremony today.
Meanwhile, the 13-year-old girl is pleading with government to cancel the marriage ceremony.
She told Odonkor she wants to continue with her education and become a teacher.
