15-year-old boy brutalised by landguards

Kasoa (C/R), April 14, GNA - A group of landguards at Asabahan near Amamfrom in the Ga West District who chased a businessman to his house to seek revenge for daring to report their conduct to the police after their release from custody, pounced on his 15-year-old brother, who was alone at home and brutalised him, in the process burning him on the face with a stick of cigarette.

Edward Aguh, a primary class six pupil told the Ghana News Agency that a group of young men led by one Abdallah invaded their home on April 11, wielding offensive weapons like guns machetes and cudgels at Kasoa, while his elder brother Alex Ofotsu was not at home. Master Aguh mentioned the names of some of his assailants as Kwame Landguard, Red and Taller.

He said they demanded to know where his brother was and as soon as he told them he had gone out they held him, flogged him with the blunt edge of a cutlass for a while and threatened to kill him if he did not show them his brother's whereabouts.

Master Aguh said at a point two of them held him firmly while one burnt him on the face with a stick of cigarette he was smoking, all in an attempt to break him down to disclose where his brother was. Mr Ofotsu, 34, who confirmed his brother's story said the police arrested 15 men including his brother's assailants on December 27 last year, following a complaint he had lodged against them.

He said soon after their release on bail, they invaded his house apparently to take the law into their own hands in seeking revenge on him, but did not meet him at home and so sought to "punish" his brother in his absence.

Mr Ofotsu said he had reported the latest development to the police at Kasoa, who were investigating the matter.