Soldier in court for assaulting a minor

Alberta Kweku rpt Alberta Kweku, a soldier at the 48 Engineering Regiment at Teshie, has been put before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly assaulting her 12-year-old house help with a metal ladle and a metal chair for sleeping whiles conducting house chores.

Due to the severe beatings, the victim head and thigh became swollen and also sustained several marks on her body.

Alberta who is also a nursing mother is therefore facing charges of two counts of physical abuse and two counts of causing harm.

Alberta pleaded not guilty and the court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku has admitted her to bail in the sum of GHC20,000.00 with two sureties.

This was after Mr Ebenezer Yaw Gyamerah her counsel had prayed the court for bail.

Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Adolphina Dzansi did not object to the bail because the accused was a breastfeeding mother and appealed to the court to fast track the trial.

Prosecution said the complainant is a 47-year-old soldier residing at 48 Engineers Barracks at Teshie in Accra whiles Alberta also reside at Arakan Barracks at Burma Camp with the victim who is her house help.

DSP Dzansi said in March 2017, Alberta’s husband who is also a soldier went for the victim at Bundase to assist the accused who has two children.

Prosecution said Alberta’s husband however left for Peace Keeping in Sudan and left the victim in Alberta’s care and since the absence of the husband, Alberta has been subjecting the victim to severe beating with cooking utensils, knife, metallic ladle, military belts and boots whenever the victim erred.

Due to the constant beatings, the victim had sustained several scars all over her body. On February 11, this year at about 1630 hours, the accused returned from town and found the victim sleeping in her bedroom. She went for metallic ladle and beat the victim who sustained bruises and swells all over her body.

The prosecution said the next day, at about 0800 hours Alberta asked the victim to carry her baby and accompany her to work at 48 Engineering Regiment at Teshie. Alberta then kept the victim and the baby in a room at the Barracks.

At noon, Prosecution said Alberta went to check on the victim and her baby and found the victim sleeping while the baby was crawling around the room.

Alberta became angry, took a metallic folder chair, and hit the victim with it for several times.

Prosecution said Alberta who was not satisfied with the punishment she meted out to the victim continuously beat her up with a military belt until she sustained marks all over her body.

Two days afterwards the complainant saw the victim at 48 Engineering Regiment Cook House carrying the accused’s baby and she looked malnourished.

Prosecution said when the complainant quizzed the victim, she narrated her ordeal, he in turn reported the matter to the Regimental Sergeant Major of the 48 Engineers Regiment.

Due to the condition of the victim, a report was made to the Ghana Military Police and the victim was rushed to the Kpeshie Medical facility for treatment.