Residents of Kotei, a suburb of Kumasi, were left in shock and disbelief after a 64-year-old man allegedly attacked a 9-year-old boy with a cutlass, inflicting a deep wound on the child’s wrist over the theft of sugarcane.
The disturbing incident occurred on Monday, July 29, 2025, at around 4:30 p.m. when the suspect, identified as Robert Quaicoe, reportedly caught the victim, Kelvin Oppong, and some of his friends harvesting sugarcane from his farm without permission. According to police and eyewitness reports, the elderly man chased the boys off the farm, but managed to apprehend young Kelvin.
In what has been described as an excessive and violent reaction, Quaicoe allegedly slashed the child’s left wrist with a cutlass, causing a serious injury that required immediate medical attention.
Kelvin’s father, Francis Adu, a 40-year-old driver’s mate and resident of Kotei, said he was horrified when he saw his son return home with a heavily bleeding wrist. He immediately rushed him to the hospital and then took both the injured child and the alleged attacker to the KNUST District Police Station to report the incident.
The police confirmed the report, stating: “On 01/08/2025, at 2140 hours, Francis Adu, a 40-year-old driver’s mate of Kotei, came to the KNUST Police Station with his nine-year-old son, Kelvin Oppong, whose left wrist was bandaged, along with the suspect, 64-year-old Robert Quaicoe. The complainant reported that on 29/07/2025 at about 1630 hours, the suspect caught his son and some of his friends harvesting sugarcane on his farm. He managed to arrest the boy and slashed his left wrist with a cutlass while the others fled.”
The KNUST police issued a medical form for Kelvin to receive further treatment at a health facility, while the suspect, Robert Quaicoe, was formally re-arrested, cautioned, and detained to assist with ongoing investigations.
Meanwhile, the police have intensified efforts to trace and take statements from the other children who were reportedly with Kelvin at the time of the incident.
The incident has sparked outrage among members of the community, many of whom condemned the use of violence, especially against a minor. While acknowledging the need to protect one’s property, residents say the suspect’s response was extreme and unwarranted.
“This is a child. Even if he was wrong, slashing him with a cutlass is inhumane,” one resident fumed. “We can’t allow people to take the law into their own hands.”
Police have assured the public that justice will be served and are urging all parties involved to remain calm as the investigation continues.
