Crime & Punishment of Friday, 12 August 2005

Source: GNA

Farmer jailed ten years for shooting two women

Mpraeso, Aug 12, GNA - A Circuit Court at Mpraeso presided over by Mr Kwabena Esuman-Adu has sentenced a 48-year-old farmer to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour for shooting two women, including his former wife, in a bush near Obomeng in the Kwahu South District. The convict, Joseph Kofi Asiamah, pleaded not guilty to the charge of intentionally causing unlawful harm.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector, Alex Acheampong told the court that on March 03 the former wife of the accused, Ama Darkoa and her friend, Madam Agartha Addae, went to Darkoa's farm to harvest plantain and collect dry leaves for their kenkey business. On their way home Asiamah opened fire on them and Darkoa fell down. Agartha was also hit but she escaped.

The prosecutor said Asiamah got close to Darkoah and said, "stupid woman, when you reincarnate you will not fool about". The victims were taken to the Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital but Darkoah was referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment.

Before his sentence, Asiamah pleaded with the court for leniency, saying he did not intentionally shoot the victims but the gun went off when he was arguing with the women.