Photso: Parents jailed for cutting 10-year-old son’s fingers (Viewer Discretion)

A couple has been sentenced to six months' imprisonment
each with no labour by a court in Ghana for cutting the
finger tips of their 10-year old son as punishment for
stealing coins and meat in their soup.

The couple, Morrison Adenkor and Angelina Adeti were
found guilty of causing harm to their 10 year old son.

The maximum sentence which was prescribed by the law
is 10 years' imprisonment but factors such as considering
if they were first time offenders were looked upon which
reduced their sentence to 6 moths each.

Graphic Online reports:

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.

Via: Ynaija