CRI react to arrest of 4 PRESEC Boys SHS students over Kidnapping

Child Rights International (CRI) following the arrest of four Presbyterian Boys Senior High School students for their involvement in a kidnapping incident has said the legal proceedings of the juveniles must adhere strictly to the Juvenile Justice Act, 2003 (Act 653).

In a statement sighted by Thisterm.com, the Child Rights said all discussions the concerning students who Police say are juveniles be conducted within the juvenile justice system, ensuring that due process and fairness are upheld.

The Rights said it was essential to note that the custody and detainment of the juveniles (Presbyterian Boys Senior High School students) must comply with the provisions outlined in Section 15(1) of the Act.

“The police shall make arrangements to detain the juvenile in a part of a police station special designated for juveniles or in a part of a police station which is separate from the area where persons other than juveniles are detained

Throughout the judicial process, the utmost respect for the dignity and privacy of the juveniles must be maintained in accordance with Section 3(1): “A juvenile has the right to Privacy during arrest, the investigation of an offence, at the trial of the offence, and at any other stage of the cause or matter

Section 3(2): “A person shail not, in the course of arrest, investigation, or trial of an offence connected with a juvenile, or at any stage of the cause or matter, release any information for publication that may lead to the identification of the juvenile,” the CRI noted.

The statement urged all parties involved, including institutions, organisations, and media entities, to act in accordance with the law when reporting on this case, refraining from actions that could compromise the rights of the juveniles in order to make the rehabilitation before and after the trial effective.  

It said the custody, the detention, and the trial of the children should strictly comply with the Juvenile Justice Act (653) Section 1(2): “A juvenile shall be dealt with in a manner which is different from an adult, except under exceptional circumstances under Section 17.”  

It said regardless of the outcome of the investigation that would lead to the legal proceedings, whether the juveniles were found culpable or not, it was imperative that their rehabilitation be prioritised in line with Section 2 of the Act, which underscores the paramount importance of the best interests of the juvenile.  

It said the CRI acknowledged the Significant public interest surrounding this case, as it presented an opportunity for constructive dialogue aimed at reassessing our societal priorities concerning the upbringing and socialisation of children.  

The Child Right statement said it was crucial to recognise that children were a reflection of their environments, thus the detention of the four Presbyterian Boys Senior High School (PRESEC) students should be separated from adults.

CRI reaction comes after the Ghana Police Service arrested four students of Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, Legon who it said are juveniles and two adults in a kidnapping incident to attempt to extort money for travel purposes. 

In the process of the staged kidnap incident, they demanded an amount of Three Hundred and Forty Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH₵340,000.00) as ransom from the alleged victim’s parents of which they were paid GH₵20,000.00.