A 25-year-old woman in Ho, identified as Jemima Kwaku, is facing trial at the Ho Circuit Court for allegedly burning her 11-year-old son with a heated pressing iron after accusing him of misplacing a pen.
The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Noah Amuzu, told the court presided over by Abdul O. Hakeem that the incident took place on July 15 at Ho Barracks–New Town. According to investigators, Kwaku locked her son in a bedroom before carrying out the assault.
She has been charged with causing harm and pleaded not guilty when she appeared before the court on July 21.
Prosecutors recounted that the accused became furious when she realised her son no longer had the pen she had purchased for him. The boy reportedly explained that a classmate had borrowed it and promised to return it the following day. Unsatisfied with the response, Kwaku allegedly forced him into the bedroom, heated a pressing iron, and pressed it against his belly, chest, lips, shoulders, back, and other areas of his body.
The court was told that she later instructed the boy not to reveal the incident. However, on July 18, his teacher noticed his withdrawn behaviour in class. After questioning, the child disclosed what had happened. The teacher then alerted the headmaster, who reported the case to police.
The boy was taken to hospital for treatment and has since been placed under the care of social workers. The accused, who admitted the act in her caution statement, has been remanded into prison custody until August 19.
Authorities noted that this case echoes a similar incident in May last year, when a 62-year-old woman, Margaret Gafa, was arrested and prosecuted for burning her nine-year-old niece in Ho after the girl failed to sell all the kebabs she had been given before school. That victim was also placed under social care.
