Teenage mother sentenced for causing harm

Tema, July 10, GNA - Florence Oforiwa, a 16-year-old nursing mother has been sentenced to a day's imprisonment plus a fine of 1.5 million cedis for pouring hot water on a neighbour.

She will serve additional six months in prison in default. Oforiwa, whose baby is 18 months old, pleaded not guilty to the charge of causing unlawful harm to Jemima Serwaa, the complainant, who resides opposite her house at Tema community one site 12. The Tema Circuit Court 'B' heard that, on November 18, last year, at about 1700 hours, a misunderstanding ensued between Serwaa's sister and the accused, resulting in the complainant enquiring of the reason of the row from her sister.

Police Chief Inspector Edith Nutakor said Oforiwa who got furious insulted the complainant. This led to a fight involving the complainant and her sister on one side and the accused and others on the other hand. She said some few minutes after they had been separated and complainant was standing at the entrance of her house, Oforiwa came out with hot water and poured it on Serwa, thereby inflicting burns on the right side of her face from her eyebrow down to her chest and breast. Serwa was hospitalized for eleven days, the court heard.