Female Musician In Custody For Child Abuse

The Tamale Police have placed a female musician, Memunatu Laadi, into custody for allegedly abusing a four-year-old nephew under her care. She is to appear before a court in Tamale for physically abusing a minor after investigations into her alleged assault of the four-year-old minor, who is currently receiving treatment at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. The boy is said to have sustained severe bruises on his back and other parts of his body from the beatings he had been receiving from Ms Laadi for some time now, making it impossible for him to attend school. Ms Laadi, who is in her 30s and is a sister of the boy�s father, lived together with the victim in a house at Hausa Zongo, a Tamale suburb. The victim�s mother is said to be living in a village. According to the Northern Regional Police PRO, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, the latest incident occurred last Monday when Ms Laadi allegedly accused the boy of stealing her 20Gp when he returned from school. Notwithstanding denials by the boy, Ms Laadi was reported to have beaten him up mercilessly. The boy was subsequently rescued by neighbors who heard his incessant wailings. ASP Tetteh said even though no formal complaint was made to the police, they picked the information on radio and decided to pursue the matter. He said when the police arrived at the suspect�s home last Tuesday, both she and the nephew could not be traced. He said the suspect was later arrested with the boy by a team from the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit at her hide-out. �After the successful treatment of the boy, we intend to send him to the Department of Social Welfare and the Nyohini Children Home for counseling and care, after which he will be handed over to his father,� he stated.