Mrs Rita Doko, Presiding Judge of the Takoradi Circuit Court, Monday cautioned men who subject their wives to beatings and abusive conducts to stop such acts as they constituted criminal offences.

She said according to the Bible, women were the missing ribs of men, and that "the age for beating women was gone, no insults or quarrel should merit beating."

Mrs Doko said this when he granted bail in the sum of GH¢ 5000 with two sureties to Emmanuel Essel Baidoo, an officer with the Ghana Rubber Estate, for physically abusing his wife.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector E. D. Kumi told the court that the complainant and the accused were couples who lived in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region.

He said on September 3, the complainant attended a church service and upon her return around 10 p.m., she realised two gas cylinders belonging to them were missing.

The prosecutor said the complainant informed her husband about the incident but the accused told her he had sold them to defray a debt.

Chief Inspector Kumi said the accused upon further interrogation from his wife, became angry and started beating her, pushed her out of the room and locked the door.

The complainant later informed her brother, who took her to the hospital and later lodged a complaint at the Agona-Nkwanta District Police Station for his arrest.