Father arrested for allegedly maiming 10-year-old son

A 55-year-old man, Osmanu Mumuni, is facing the law for physically abusing his 10-year-old son.

Mumuni was arrested last Saturday at Obuom-Domeabra by the Weija Divisional Unit of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) after it received a report from the mother of the child that the suspect had allegedly cut off part of his son’s right ear with a razor blade and also placed his fingers in an open fire for stealing his GH¢250

Complaint

Confirming the story, the DOVVSU Coordinator for Weija Division, ASP (Mrs) Rosemary Vortia, said on May 17, the unit received a complaint from the mother of the child who lived at Agona Swedru that her ex-husband had cut off part of the boy's right ear and also used a razor blade to inflict cuts on the fingers of the boy and exposed them to flames from an open fire.

The mother said some neighbours who intervened, subsequently, called her to come and see the child.

Following the report, ASP Vortia said the police went to the home of Mumuni at Obom-Domeabra, near Weija where he lived with his son.

She said at the house, the police found the victim with marks of assault on his body and a cut on the ear lobe.

The boy, who was in pain, was taken to the Amanfrom Polyclinic, near Weija, where he was treated and discharged and the mother was asked to take him with her.

Request to see the mother

ASP Vortia said the boy admitted that he took money from his father because he was denying him his basic needs and also because he needed transportation fare to go to his mother.

According to the boy, the father had prevented him from visiting his mother at Agona Swedru and alleged that on a number of occasions he threatened to kill him when he requested to see his mother.

The boy admitted that it was not the first time he had taken his father’s money without his knowledge but it was the first time he had taken such a large amount.

The father, who admitted to causing harm to the boy, said he did not know what came over him, blaming it on frustrations he was going through in getting him to stop stealing.