Man jailed for "disciplining" daughter

Accra, Sept.7, GNA - Anthony Mensah, 35, unemployed, was on Thursday jailed six months by an Accra Circuit Court for causing harm to a six-year-old girl.

The Court also convicted him to a fine of 5.6 million cedis of which two million cedis would go to the girl as compensation and the rest paid to the State.

Mensah pleaded guilty with the explanation that the victim was stubborn.

Police Chief Inspector Lawrence Gbele prosecuting told the Court that on September 1, 2006 Police received information that a six-year-old girl at Sowutum in Accra was assaulted. Police rushed to the house and found the victim with severe bruises all over her body and was brought to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU).

Three days later Mensah reported at the Unit and claimed that he was an uncle of the victim but the victim on the other hand said that Mensah was her father.

When Police arrested Mensah, he stated in his statement that he caned the girl because she urinated into her palm for a little girl to drink, but the victim said Mensah rather beat her because she had gone to a friend's house.

Chief Inspector Gbele said Police found fresh and partly healed marks on the victim.

A medical doctor treated the girl, and issued a report on her. The girl was then discharged but was sent to the Osu Children's Home.