Houet: A young tailor is being prosecuted for hitting a minor with an electrical wire. The Bobo-Dioulasso Criminal Court examined a case of assault and battery on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, involving SY, a 22-year-old tailor. He is being prosecuted by the public prosecutor for intentionally assaulting a minor girl, SS, causing her injuries.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the events took place on May 31, 2026. The prosecutor accuses the defendant of striking the young girl with an electrical cord after an altercation. Following this incident, a fight allegedly broke out between SY and the victim's parents. The altercation reportedly escalated into an exchange of insults, with the defendant also making threats against the girl's parents.
In court, SY admitted to the facts. He explained that he was the tenant of a sewing shop located in front of a shared courtyard where the toilets used by the occupants are situated. "I rented a shop in front of a courtyard to do sewing. The toilets are in the courtyard. One day, I came in and SS had blocked the toilet door. I didn't say anything. Another time, she did it again. I threatened her, she insulted me and I hit her with an electrical wire," he told the court.
The defendant also stated that this dispute stemmed from ongoing tensions with some residents of the courtyard. According to him, the minor and other residents had previously cut the wires to his electricity meter. When questioned about his actions, SY admitted to acting in anger. "I was upset when she provoked me," he explained.
The victim's father, who filed a civil suit, stated that the medical care his daughter received had cost him 52,000 CFA francs. He asked the court to order the defendant to reimburse this sum for medical expenses.
In his closing arguments, the prosecutor of Burkina Faso denounced the defendant's behavior, stating that nothing could justify violence against a minor. He requested a 12-month prison sentence and a fine of 600,000 CFA francs, both to be served without parole. After the hearing, the court adjourned the case for deliberation until July 21, 2026.