A four-year old boy [name withheld] who stole a fish head belonging to his mother to gratify his hunger has had his stomach and fingers burnt.
The 38-year old mother of 10, is said to have heated a stone in fire, placed it on the stomach of the boy and his abdomen after which she put his right hand [around wrist and fingers area] into a fire; peeling off the skin the parts of the body.
His six-year old brother [name withheld], with whom he ate the tilapia head, was also subjected to cane assault.
The two brothers who have consistently been abused and subjected to maltreatment by their mother and step-father, were then ordered to go fishing on the Volta Lake notwithstanding the pain they were going through from the bizarre punishment.
The incident happened in the first week of September at Lala, a fishing community on the Volta Lake near Kete-Krachi in the Volta Region. The children were rescued few hours after the incident while fishing on the lake.
TV3’s Peter Adattor reports that the volunteers from Partners in Community Development who rescued them reported the matter to the Police which has since begun investigations.
According to our correspondent, the children claimed they have on several times been subjected to various forms of maltreatment by the couple since their father died. Bodily checks on them revealed marks of assault from canes.
one of the brothers showing marks of assault suffered from canning.
They claim they are usually left with little or no food while they fish on the lake, noting that even on days that they are not working on the lake, they are left without food.
The boys upon their rescue were given medical attention and are currently looking healthy but with visible marks of assault on parts of their body. They have also been enrolled in Village of Life Academy.
Founder of PACODEP and Director of Village of Life, George Achibra, expressed regret over the development and called on civil society to be responsive to the needs of children, noting that Ghana can only boast of a future if the children are given the opportunity to develop their lives through education.
By:3news.com/Ghana