Parents in Apac district set their children on fire over food
Police said both suspects Ogwang Nelson, aged 42 and Aol Caroline aged 48, were arrested and detained at Apac District Police Headquarters.
The Territorial Police in Apac district is actively investigating two separate incidents of aggravated child torture where two young male juveniles aged 6 and 10 were tortured by their parents under very avoidable circumstances.
According to police spokesperson Fred Enanga, the first incident occurred on the 28th of September at around 8 pm when a one Okello Bernard, a 28-year peasant of Abuga village, Apoi sub-county in Apac district, returned home and found when his son, Ocama Rodgers, aged 6, had consumed vegetable soup that was reserved for supper.
“His father, who had separated from his mum, became annoyed and tied both hands of the victim with a rope, wrapped them in dry grass, set fire and burnt the hands of the victim. The victim was rushed to Apac Main Hospital and is on treatment,” Enanga said.
The second incident of child torture occurred the following day on the 29th, at around 1 pm, when Ogwang Nelson, a 42-year-old peasant of Ajoadoko “B” cell Alworoceng Parish, Ibuje sub-county in Apac district, bought fish for the family and went for drinking.
“He left the victim with his stepmother, Aol Caroline. The father returned home and found that the food which had been reserved for him had been eaten by his son, Adok Justine, a 10-year-old male juvenile. The stepmother had tied both his hands and legs with a rope. They both (father and step-mother) started torturing the victim to the extent of burning his body with fire,” he added.
Police said both suspects Ogwang Nelson, aged 42 and Aol Caroline aged 48, were arrested and detained at Apac District Police Headquarters.
The victim was taken to Apac Main Hospital for treatment and later handed over to the grandfather for custody.
These two incidents of child torture and many others continue to indicate how young children are at great risk even among their parents or parent substitutes such as stepmothers.
Enanga noted that keeping children safe remains a top priority for the police and they, therefore, call upon the community to watch out for parents who direct their anger toward their children and torture them to alert the Child and Family Protection Unit or their local leaders for immediate action.
