This incident centers around a disturbing act of violence against a child in Kotei, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A 64-year-old man, Robert Quaicoe, is accused of attacking a nine-year-old boy, Kelvin Oppong, with a cutlass, inflicting a severe injury to the child’s left wrist. The incident stemmed from an altercation over sugarcane, with Quaicoe allegedly catching Oppong and his friends harvesting sugarcane from his farm.
The events unfolded on the afternoon of July 29, 2025. Quaicoe reportedly discovered the young boys on his property and chased them. While Oppong’s friends managed to escape, Quaicoe apprehended Oppong and, in an act of extreme aggression, slashed the boy’s wrist with a cutlass. This violent act resulted in a significant injury to the young boy, requiring immediate medical attention.
Upon witnessing his son’s injury, Kelvin’s father, Francis Adu, a 40-year-old driver’s mate, immediately took action. He apprehended Quaicoe and brought both his injured son and the alleged assailant to the KNUST District Police Station to report the crime. This prompt action by Adu ensured that Quaicoe was taken into custody and the legal process could begin.
The official police report, filed on August 1, 2025, details the account provided by Francis Adu. It confirms that Adu arrived at the station with his son, whose left wrist was bandaged, and the suspect, Robert Quaicoe. The report corroborates Adu’s statement, stating that Quaicoe caught Oppong and his friends stealing sugarcane from his farm. While the other children escaped, Quaicoe detained Oppong and inflicted the cutlass wound. Following the report, Quaicoe was formally arrested, cautioned, and detained by the police.
The police took further action by providing Adu with a medical report form, facilitating Oppong’s treatment at a hospital. The report also indicates that the investigation is ongoing, and efforts are underway to locate and apprehend Oppong’s friends who were present during the incident. Their testimonies will likely be crucial in providing a complete picture of the events leading up to the assault and corroborating the accounts given by both the victim and the accused.
This case highlights a concerning act of violence against a minor, raising questions about the proportionality of the response to the alleged theft. While the act of stealing sugarcane is wrong, the severity of the punishment inflicted on the young boy raises concerns about the use of excessive force. The legal proceedings will ultimately determine the extent of Quaicoe’s culpability and the appropriate consequences for his actions. The incident also underscores the need for community dialogue about conflict resolution and mechanisms for addressing property disputes without resorting to violence, particularly against children.
