An eight-year-old boy lost his life after drinking a substance suspected to be poisoned palm wine at Awutu Bantama in the Awutu Senya West District of the Central Region.
Agya Kwao died after drinking the substance at the farm of a palm wine tapper, who allegedly poisoned the substance, because he suspected some people were stealing from the farm.
Meanwhile, the farmer, whose name was given only as Ben, has been arrested by the Awutu Bereku Police Command and was assisting in investigations.
Mercy Acquah, auntie to the boy, speaking to journalists, said: “I was home when I had a call to come and see my nephew walking and falling like a drunk. When I went there, and saw him in an unconscious state, I rushed him to the clinic.”
She said authorities at hospital detected that he had taken substance believed to be poison.”
According Ms Acquah, members of the family aided the boy to vomit the poison, but to no avail.
She said the boy was referred to the Swedru Government Hospital or the Trauma and Specialist Hospital at Winneba for further treatment, but he died while he was being taken to hospital.
Ms Acquah said “he died a few hours later. The police came for the sample and detected it was poisonous.”
FROM DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, CAPE COAST
