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Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 7 February 2013

Source: GNA

Woman granted bail over burnt buttocks

Grandparents of the 11- year- old victim, who had her buttocks submerged in hot water over her constant bed wetting, were on Thursday admitted to bail.

The court presided over by Ms Sedina Agbamava admitted Christina Torkornu and her husband James Agbemavor to bail in the sum of GHc15,000 each with three sureties each to reappear on March 5.

The long adjournment was to enable the victim recover fully from her burnt condition so the trial could begin.

The victim sustained severe burns all over her buttocks and upper part of her abdomen.

Charged with conspiracy to commit crime to wit causing unlawful harm and causing unlawful harm, Christiana, 50, and Agbemavor, 60, have pleaded not guilty.

Counsel for the accused persons prayed the court to admit the accused persons to bail recounting the number of days spent in incarceration.

According to him, his clients had a fixed place of abode and had people of substance who would stand sureties for them.

Narrating the facts, Assistant Superintendent of Police Sarah Acquah said Christiana aka Maame “Wolo” and Agbemavor were married and resided at Sankara, suburb of Teshie, Accra with the victim.

ASP Acquah said at about 0800 hours on January 8, a caller who pleaded anonymity arrived at the Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit office at Nungua and alerted the Police that Christiana had made her granddaughter to sit in boiled water in a plastic bowl making her sustain severe burns on her buttocks and rendering her bed ridden.

Prosecution contended that the caller indicated that because the accused persons wanted to conceal their crime, they were hiding the victim in a room.

Based on that information, prosecution said the Police moved swiftly to the scene and apprehended them and during interrogation, they admitted the offence.

ASP Acquah said the Police compelled them to bring the victim out of the room and it was when she came out that the personnel noticed that the victim could neither walk nor sit down because of severe burns all over her buttocks.

When the victim was sent to hospital, it was found out that the victim had sustained other burns on the upper part of her abdomen.