A little boy who lost all left fingers to physical abuse by a couple at South Suntreso, in Kumasi now has justice, with an eight-year jail term each for the culprits.
A bench warrant has been issued for the arrest of Nana Oti Oduro, one of the convicts who failed to show up in court on judgment day.
Over four years since the incident occurred, trial of the case passed through the hands of two Circuit Court judges.
That was about five years ago when then one-year-old Junior’s sored fingers were amputated. They were found to be almost dropping due to pain inflicted on him by adults, including his biological father, who were supposed to provide him love and care.
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Fast-forward, he is now six years and has forgotten why he has no fingers on his left hand.
Junior, who featured prominently in Erastus Asare Donkor’s child abuse documentary, Tortured Innocence, tells him of his fear of facing his peers with amputated fingers.
“I don’t want to make everyone see it. Because in my school, they laugh at it,” Junior said.
Junior was physically abused for nine months. He was rescued and later adopted by the Ashanti Female Lawyers Association. He has since been in the care of this lawyer, with financial support from some anonymous members of the group.
“I am sad and stiil happy because 8 years is good…If it wasn’t for God, what would this boy become,” his foster mother said.
The road to justice for junior started in 2016, the process going through two different judges until judgment on Thursday, June 26, 2020.
Verdict
The presiding judge of the Kumasi Circuit Court, Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, found Oduro Oti and his wife, Rita, guilty of all five counts.
They are; conspiracy to commit crime, causing harm, conspiracy to commit assault, assault and exposing a child to danger. They are to serve eight years in jail each in addition to 50 thousand cedis compensation to the boy.
A bench warrant has been issued for the immediate arrest of Nana Oti Oduro who failed to show up in court to serve his sentence.