No evidence to prosecute Lydia for causing harm - police

Tema, April 12, GNA - Tema police said on Wednesday that evidence gathered so far makes it difficult for them to prosecute anyone for causing harm to Miss Marku Narh, the 11-year-old girl who had serious facial and bodily injuries when she fell into a pan of boiling cooking oil.

The police, however, said they were looking at other charges like child labour and exposing the girl to danger. The docket will, however, be referred to the Attorney-General's Department for advice.

According to initial information received by the police, Marku was allegedly pushed by her 35-year-old cousin, Lydia Nartey, for sleeping while fanning the fire being used to fry yams at night at the Casino Cinema at Tema a month ago.

A police source told the GNA that about four people, including rice, 'koko' (porridge) and provision sellers and their children who were present, had been questioned and that evidence gathered showed that Marku fell into the hot oil while sleeping on a bench at about 7:30 p.m.

Marku has also told the police that she was not pushed but the police, which thought she was afraid to say anything that would incriminate her cousin, went further to interview eye witnesses.

The source said at the time of the incident, Marku's cousin, Lydia Nartey, whom she allegedly works for, was also sleeping with her head on a table and could not have pushed her as claimed earlier.

The source said the police were also waiting for Marku's father, Mr Tetteh Narh, a fisherman at Akosombo, who visited her a day after the incident to find out the circumstances under which the girl came to live with her aunt at Tema.

In another development, Lydia, who broke her silence over the incident on Wednesday, told the GNA that when the incident occurred, a group of boys in the area poured a bowl of water used by a rice seller for washing plates on the girl.

She said her intention of going home first with the victim was to collect some money before sending her to the Port Clinic where she was given first aid before being referred to the Tema General Hospital.

Marku was brought about four years ago to live with her aunt, Madam Victoria Narh, who is also Lydia's mother, who used to fry yams before she was involved in a motor accident, and Lydia came to assist her.

Lydia said they usually left home at six p.m. daily for the Casino Cinema and closed at 1.30 a.m.. She said Marku's work was to always fan the fire in the coal pot, adding that most often when Marku was feeling sleepy, she lay on a table until they all closed and went home.

On why Marku does not go to school, Lydia said before she came to live with them, she was not going to school, adding that it was Madam Narh's wish that when the girl was of age, she would be made to learn dressmaking from a cousin.

Lydia said because Marku was a relative, the relation between them and the girl was not that of a master-servant. Lydia and her mother are now on police enquiry bail. Meanwhile, a number of women's groups, including the Zonta Club of Tema, which have promised to assist Marku, have condemned the practice of exposing children to danger and making them work for longer hours.