The couple who allegedly inflicted wounds on the finger tips of their 10-year-old son for stealing have been sentenced to six months imprisonment each without hard labour by a circuit court in Accra.

Morrison Adeti, a lotto operator and his wife Adekor Morrison, a labourer, punished their son because he stole some coins and pieces of meat from their soup, and were charged with causing harm and abetment of crime respectively.

The couple, who pleaded not guilty on their first appearance in court, pleaded guilty on their third appearance.

The court, presided over by Ms Ellen V. Amoah, said the act of the couple was unjustifiable and unreasonable and asked “What could possibly inform a father to cut open all 10 fingers of a child while the mother looks on?”

She said in issuing a sentence for such crimes, the nature of the crime, the law that governs the country, as well as the interest of the community and the victim must be taken into consideration.

Ms Amoah cautioned the public that such acts of punishing children cannot be tolerated and would be dealt with by the law and that the sentence would increase public awareness of the provisions of the children’s act and to deter others from infringing on children’s potential rights.

She said such crimes cannot be compensated for with payment of money, and advised the couple to perform their duties and responsibilities as parents very well after serving their sentence.

Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police Sarah Acquah had told the court that the complainant was a journalist with TV3 Network in Accra and the couple resides at MacCathy Hills in Accra with their children including the victim.

ASP Acquah said on January 4 at about 0600 hours, Adeti confronted and accused the victim of stealing pieces of meat and some coins, and that if he failed to tell the truth he would teach the victim a lesson.

Prosecution said the victim, however, denied the offence, but Adeti cut the tips of all the victim’s fingers with a blade.

The victim bled and wept bitterly while Adekor, who happened to be at the scene, asked the victim to wait for her to attend to him later.

According to prosecution, the couple left the victim to his fate to attend to their respective works. A Good Samaritan who saw the victim called the complainant on phone at about 1930 hours.

The complainant rushed to the scene and informed the police at Odorkor who arrested the convicts and sent the victim to the Police Hospital.