Tarkwa (Western Region) 14 March 2001 -- A Tarkwa circuit court on Tuesday acquitted and discharged a 30 year old woman, Margaret Afful, who bit the thumb of her husband during a fight. The court presided over by Mr Isaac Lartey-Young found the woman not guilty of biting the thumb of the husband, Mr Andrews Duah because she acted in desperation and with reasonable force in defence.

The Prosecution told the court that the woman has been legitimately married to Mr Duah for the past 15 years and they have three.

Mr Duah has of late refused to fend for the children and Margaret was compelled to send two of them to go and stay with her mother.

On January 28, a misunderstanding ensued between the woman and her husband over the maintenance of the children, resulting in a fight. In the process, Margaret fell down but Duah continued to beat her up. Duah's thumb got into the mouth of the wife and she bit it.

The husband was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Margaret, in defence, said her husband had left their matrimonial home and had been staying with another woman for the past four months and had refused to perform his familial responsibilities.

"I saw him one evening and I requested for money to feed the children. He refused to give me any money. I followed him up to a certain point, where he asked me to stop following him. I continued to follow him and this annoyed him so he rushed on me, slapped me and booted me down".

"He gripped my neck and I became helpless. In the process of the struggle his thumb found its way into my mouth and I bit it hard," she added.