!!! Arraignment Of A Teen Who Attempted Suicide? Ghana Police Do The Right Thing.

I read with horror a news item on Ghanaweb (Tuesday, January 20, 2009) about a teenager who attempted to commit suicide because he alleged his father maltreated him and did not cater for him. According to DSP Godfred Anim, the teenager Kofi Owusu (aged 16years) WOULD BE ARRAIGNED WHEN HE FULLY RECOVERED. I trust that there is a mistake somewhere and that this is not the whole story. According to the story he has been taken to the 37 Military hospital in Accra for treatment. This is a boy who needs HELP- counseling - and he could possibly be suffering from depression or other mental illness. There must be a reason why a teenager would want to attempt suicide. Most often a suicide attempt is a cry for HELP. Yet he is going to be arraigned and possibly charged!!!!. God help us. The police need to investigate the issue and let mental health workers interview the boy. He may be truly a victim of physical abuse or abandonment by his father and so in this case the police will be “blaming the victim”. The father may be the one who is guilty. Please could the DVVSU of the police service and the Department of social welfare in Tarkwa look into this case. Get some help for the poor boy otherwise he may attempt suicide again and this time it may be a completed act. Please sensitize the police personnel to these kinds of cases just like you have hopefully done when it comes to victims of domestic violence and rape. On the other hand, if the laws in Ghana consider an individual who attempts suicide as a criminal then we have a very archaic/outdated law which needs to be struck off the books.

Our society needs renewal of mind regarding our treatment of children who are abused, be it sexually, emotionally or physically. In reading the 6 comments that have been posted regarding this story, 2 of them “blame the victim” while 4 of them are constructive and indicate that the boy needs help. I trust most in our society will be of the same mind.

Dr. Barbara Entsuah MD Florida USA. GOHInc@gmail.com