The father of a 10-year-old school girl, who was allegedly hit in the head by a stray bullet in a police gun battle with armed robbers a few months ago, has sued the state for an amount of GHC2,000,000 as compensation for the permanent disability suffered by his daughter as a result.

In a suit filed at the Human Rights Division of the High Court, the father of the girl, Mr Edward Asare, is seeking a declaration that the defendants (the Attorney-General and the Inspector-General of Police Service) owed his daughter “a duty of care, which duty of care had negligently been breached by defendant”

He is further seeking a declaration that the injuries suffered by his daughter were as a result of the negligence of the defendant and thus asking for special damages for negligence in the amount of GHC20,000 in addition to legal fees and cost.

According to the writ, cited by Weekend Finder, the father argued that unless compelled by the court, the defendants have no intention to fulfil their promise to assist his daughter receive best medical assistance to recuperate to enable her to continue her education.

Background

The girl (name withheld) was caught up in a shoot-out between the police and a gang of armed robbers, on June 7, 2016, while returning home from school. She was allegedly hit in the head by a stray bullet in the ensuing incident.

After five days in a comma at the 37 Military Hospital, doctors successfully operated on her, and the bullet removed from her skull.

The surgery, though successful, has since left the 10-year-old paralysed in one-half of her body and permanently disabled.

Six months after the incident, all efforts by the father of the girl to get the police to take responsibility for the amount expended on the girl’s medical bills have proved futile.

In an earlier interview with the Weekend Finder, Mr Asare stated, among other things, that days after the incident, he explained to the police officers that he expended all he had on the medical bills of his daughter and, therefore, needed assistance.

He said the police thereafter gave him an amount of GHC600 with a promise that when the girl was discharged from the hospital, he should bring all the receipts of expenses for a refund.

“After I had paid in excess of over GHC2,000 initially for the medical bills, I had to sell my taxi to raise some money to foot the rest of the medical bills for my daughter.”

He said numerous visits to the police for a proper conclusion of the matter and the appropriate compensation paid his daughter proved futile.

Girl out of school

Currently, the educational dreams of the girl hang in a balance as she has not had the opportunity to return to the classroom due to the disability she suffered after the incident.

In her present condition, the girl cannot write, walk properly or do things by herself.

“There are so many things she can’t do for herself now. Even when waking out of bed, she would have to drag herself on the floor to the wall for support before she can stand on her feet,” he said.