Couple jailed for cutting fingertips of 10-year-old son
The Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a couple to six months’ imprisonment each with no labour for cutting the finger tips of their 10-year old son as punishment for stealing coins and meat in their soup.
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They were found guilty for causing harm and abetment of crime respectively. The maximum sentence prescribed by the law is 10 years’ imprisonment.
However, in delivering her judgement, the court took into account factors, including the nature of the crime, the circumstances of the accused persons and the fact that they were first-time offenders.
Sentencing the accused persons – Morrison Adenkor and Angelina Adeti – the presiding judge, Ms Ellen Vivian Amoah, warned that the court would not sit aloof while the rights of children were trampled upon.
Unhappy judge
The court found their action repugnant and a gross violation of the 1992 Constitution and all international conventions Ghana has ratified to protect and safeguard the interest of children.
“What type of parents do this kind of thing to their child of 10 years who is supposed to look up to them. Secondly, what has become the norm in our society where adults and society in general cherishes children? What could enter the mind of a father to cut open all the 10 fingers of his son with the tacit consent of the mother?”
“We have to bear in mind that we owe rights and obligations to the most vulnerable members of our society, that is the children”, Ms Amoah said.
Facts of the case
The facts of the case, as presented by ASP Sarah Acquah, the prosecutor, were that the victim lived with the parents – Morrison Adenkor, a lotto operator, and Angelina Adenti, a labourer – at McCarthy Hill in Accra.
On January 4, 2014 at about 6:00 p.m., Adenkor confronted the victim and accused him of stealing coins, as well as meat from their soup, an allegation the victim denied.
Adenkor warned that if the victim failed to confess he would teach him a lesson. He then used a blade to cut all 10 fingertips of the victim while the victim bled profusely and cried bitterly.
ASP Aquah said Adenti, who was at the scene and approved of the heinous act, asked the victim to sit down and he would be attended to later.
However, the accused persons left the victim to his fate for their respective places of work.
At 7 p.m., a Good Samaritan called the complainant in the case, a TV3 journalist, Peter Adattor, and informed him of the victim’s ordeal.
The complainant rushed to the scene and after ascertaining the facts, informed the Odorkor District Police Commander, who also dispatched a patrol team to the scene and arrested the accused persons.
The victim was rushed to the Police Hospital in the same night, treated and discharged.
After investigations, the accused persons were charged with the relevant offences and put before court.
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