37 Military Hospital ready to take over treatment of minor brutalized by soldiers

The Ghana Armed Forces say its Military Hospital is set to intervene in the medical treatment of a teenager brutalized by soldiers for five hours.

An ambulance from the 37 Military Hospital drove to the premises of Multimedia Group Limited where the 16-year old Christopher Bamah had concluded an interview on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Friday.

Public Affairs Director of the Ghana Armed Forces Col Eric Aggrey-Quashie told Joy News, “the main reason for coming to Joy studios was to come and pick the young man for treatment at 37 Military Hospital”.

Col Eric Aggrey-Quashie
Christopher on April 1, 2016, was brutalized by three soldiers who accused him of stealing a mobile phone.

From 9 a.m to 2:30 p.m, the three, Corporal Samson Attuahene, Collins Agyei Boamah and a third person beat the young boy and handcuffed him to a mango tree.

Christopher and other on-lookers are reported to have begged for his life to the disregard of the three soldiers.

He cried for water while he was handcuffed to his hospital bed at the Kamina barracks, but he was refused.

After his discharge from the clinic, Christopher kept vomiting blood and was recommended to be transferred to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.

The family could not get him admitted to the facility as the Hospital was said to be full. An uncle who works at Nsawam Government hospital took him in to administer treatment.

It has become a race against time for the family to save the life of Christopher as they struggle to negotiate financial distress in footing their relative’s medical bills which keep piling up.

In the latest medical requirement, Christopher has been directed to go for a scan at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

After hearing the story on Joy FM, Col Eric Aggrey-Quashie got in touch with Christopher’s uncle who wants treatment at Nsawam “to go through.”

The Colonel says the 37 Military hospital is on stand-by to take Christopher in if the doctors at the Nsawam Government hospital approves his transfer.

Meanwhile, the Police in Tamale has rejected a claim by the family that it was negligent.

Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer ASP Ebenezer Tetteh explained that the Police acted professionally when the incident was brought to its attention.

He said Christopher was brought to the police station accused of stealing a mobile phone. In his frail condition, the Police directed that he is taken to a clinic inside the Kamina Barracks. They took his caution statement and granted him police enquiry bail.

The Military also brought the soldiers to the police station where their statement was also taken. The police are investigating the three for assault, he said.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com