Boy Forced To Eat 'Shit'

John Bonful aka Santiago

JOHN BONFUL aka Santiago, a kingpin of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Obuasi, is in the grip of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Police Service after subjecting a 12-year-old boy to degrading and inhumane treatment by forcing him to eat faeces.

Unsatisfied with his cruel action, the 54-year-old flamboyant man, who owns several properties in the Golden City, again compelled the little boy to drink water, after which he slapped and kicked the victim's face and lower abdomen respectively.

The boy has since had urine retention and is on admission at the Obuasi Government Hospital where he is responding to treatment. He was said to be weak at the time he was brought to the police station by his family.

The incident, which occurred around 5 am on Tuesday, has sparked anxiety in the city, raising eyebrows among residents.

ASP Sophia Eva Ennin, Obuasi Unit Commander of DOVVSU, told DAILY GUIDE that the incident occurred after the boy had attended to nature's call in an uncompleted building owned by the suspect.

According to her, an employee of Mr. Bonful, whose name was only given as Fila, spotted the victim in the act. He ordered the boy to remove the excreta from the ground, which he did.

Fila later took the boy to Santiago, who immediately slapped him twice and further kicked him in the lower abdomen, before ordering the victim to eat the faeces.

Santiago then took the boy to one of his commercial bathhouses from where he compelled the victim to drink water, but he resisted and spat out the already taken-in faeces.

ASP Ennin added that Santiago proceeded to again slap the defenceless boy until he was rescued by his elder brother, Emmanuel Owusu, who instantly informed their mother. The latter then lodged a complaint with the police.

The DOVVSU boss indicated that Santiago has since confessed to the crime but said he only ordered the boy to taste the faeces –and not to swallow it.

He has however denied the assault charge against him, ASP Ennin added, concluding that investigations are still underway. At the time of filing this report, the suspect was still in police custody and is expected to be in court today.

From Ernest Kofi Adu, Obuasi