Dad gets 15 years for severely beating 3-year-old son for bedwetting (Ghana)

Notice that dad CHARLES OBENG, who was not married to the boy's mother, had just gained temporary custody after the mom had suffered an illness and lost her job. Almost immediately, he had severely beaten the boy. 

http://news.peacefmonline.com/social/201209/137223.php

Man Brutalizes Son For Bedwetting

Date: 29-Sep-2012

 A 27-year-old labourer is to languish in jail, in hard labour, for 15 years for brutalizing his three-year-old son.

The boy’s crime? He has been bedwetting and his father claimed he wanted to instill discipline in him by the use of the rod.

A Kumasi circuit court, presided over by Mr. Emmanuel Amo-Yartey, heard that Charles Obeng subjected his son to severe beating at the least provocation.

At the court hearing, the little boy was showed with cuts all over his body and he could neither sit nor lie. 

Obeng, who pleaded guilty to the charge of causing harm, was convicted on his own plea.

Briefing the court, Chief Inspector Comfort Baffour-Kyei said the child’s mother was an unemployed resident at Obuasi Mile 9, while Obeng was resident at Atimatim junction, a suburb of Kumasi.

She said since the child was born, the mother has been the sole provider because the father failed to cater for him. However, the mother lost her job after a short ailment.

According to the prosecution, when the mother asked Obeng for assistance, he demanded that she brought the child to him so that he catered for him.

Chief Inspector Baffour explained that the mother therefore, brought the child to Obeng and on September 23, she called to find out how he was faring and was told by the father that he was sick.

The mother, therefore, came down to Atimatim and “found out that the victim had bruises all over his body and the face was swollen. 

“The victim mentioned the accused person’s name as the one who assaulted him, “the prosecutor told the court.

 A report was made to the police and Obeng was later arrested and he admitted the offence during investigation. He was later charged with the offence.