Step mum who left boy’s hand to rot after cutting it sentenced

The 22-year-old Efua Baduwa who cut the hand of the 5-year-old stepchild has been fined GHc1,020 (85 penalty unit) or in default serve an 18-month jail term.

She pleaded guilty to the charge of causing harm to her stepson when the charge was read to her.

The Abura Dunkwa District court presided over by Justice Anthony Abebrese on Thursday considered the plea of guilty by Efua Baduwa who is also pregnant.

David Mensah, the biological father of the boy and the second accused person, pleaded not guilty to the charge of abetment to the crime and has been remanded into prison custody to reappear on the 28th of February, 2019 for the full case to be heard.

A third accused, Isaac Eduful , who treated the boy at his facility when the victim’s limb was rotting, was arrested and sent to court forcing prosecutors to change their earlier charge to include him for the role he played as far as the case is concerned.

He, however, pleaded guilty to the charge of abetment but with an explanation.

He told the court he intervened only to save the boy ’s rotten hand looking at the extent at which it was.

He told the court, the boy was brought to him on the 21st of January, 2019 and even though, he did not have any license he had compassion on the boy and decided to treat him.

Magistrate Anthony Abebrese did not accept Isaac Eduful’s explanation. “You are not a professional doctor, why did you do that?”

But the third accused stressed, “My Lord, Iooking at the situation at which the boy was in, I only sort to help the child”

When asked if he had license to operate, Eduful presented a certificate to prove his membership with the Ghana Homeopathy Medical Association.

“I don’t think this can convince me,” the magistrate said and ordered that the certificate be destroyed.

He also questioned why Eduful failed to refer the boy to a bigger facility.

Upon a careful study of his documents, it turned out that they were not valid.

Isaac Eduful was subsequently fined a 50 penalty unit, equivalent to GHc600, in default, he will serve a 12-month jail term.

Meanwhile, the crowd that thronged the courtyard were disappointed in the punishment meted out to Efua Baduwa, saying was not deterrent enough.

The victim has since had his hand amputated.