Police arrest farmer for cruelty to blind daughter

Ejisu (Ash), Aug 18, GNA - The Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality has began an investigation into a case in which a 40-year-old farmer is alleged to have subjected his 13-year-old blind daughter to all forms of maltreatment.

Kwaku Ayaakwah is said to have neglected his parental duty to the disabled girl and has been treating her with cruelty. Police Chief Inspector Charlotte Arko, the Officer in-charge of the Unit, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the farmer was arrested on Tuesday, August 11.

This followed a tip-off.

She said the girl, Ama Ataa, was staying with the biological mother Yaa Ataa, who had been separated from Ayaakwa, in Asante-Juaben. Owing to financial difficulty, the mother decided to send her to stay with the father at Odoyefe, a farming community near Juaben. Police Chief Inspector Arko said the suspect angered by the former wife's action, began maltreating the victim.

He did not only subject her to physical assault but starved her and occasionally took her to the farm to work without a guard. Ama, she said, looked traumatized when she was rescued by the police.

She said the DOVVSU would soon arraign the suspect after investigations were completed.

Police Chief Inspector Arko said the Unit was also into discussions with the Department of Social Welfare on how to resettle the girl since the mother was too poor to cater for her.