by Oge Okonkwo

A 48-year old woman, Kumatu Tafa has been arrested by the police in Ghana for allegedly caging her grandchildren in a hen coop for eight months.

According to reports, the victims, 4-year old Sani Issah and 7 -year old Fozia Issah, began living with the suspect after the death of their parents.

The children were made to eat and drink from a toilet bowl by their grandmother until they were found by the neighbours.

Daily Guide reports:

The victims were allegedly compelled by the grandmother to sleep in the hen coop, saying that they were bed wetters and did not want to sleep in the same room with them. She allegedly restrained them from taking food from the neighbours.

Sources hinted this paper that the kids lost their parents years ago, and had been under the care of the old lady since their infancy.

According to the sources, although some of the neighbours were aware of what was happening in the house, they were afraid to reveal it until one evening when one of them was passing by the house, and heard one of the children weeping in the direction of the hen coop.

Suspecting that something unusual might be taking place inside the house, she alerted the assemblyman of the area, Mr. Odeshie Yaw Nyame, who was said to have informed the police about it, leading to the arrest of the old lady.

A woman, who did not want her name mentioned, told this reporter that the children were released during the day but they were not properly fed; and dared not complain as they were sure of getting beaten up by their grandma.

The poor kids, who were in the custody of the Akyem Oda Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, at press time yesterday, looked unhealthy.

In an interview with DAILY GUIDE, Madam Kumatu Tafa denied the allegations, swearing on the Holy Quran that nothing of that nature had ever taken place.

The assemblyman, Mr. Odeshie Yaw Nyame, described the behaviour of Kumatu Tafa as abnormal, and said she should be referred to the mental hospital in Accra for medical examination.

Meanwhile, the case is in court as investigations continue.