Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 8 January 2008

Source: GNA

Farmer kills wife and commits suicide

Sunyani Jan 8, GNA - Akwasi Akowua alias Red, a 30-year old farmer, at the weekend allegedly committed suicide after he shot and killed his wife at Kenyasi Number Two in Asutifi District of Brong Ahafo. A close source told the GNA Akowua and the late Madam Abena Samaa, 44, also a farmer, lived with their five year old son at Bogyampa village, near Kenyasi Number One. It said on January 5, this year, after a fight between the couple, Madam Samaa packed her belongings, left her matrimonial home with her son to her in the family house at Kenyasi Number Two. The source added that Red followed up to the place and pleaded with the wife to return to her matrimonial home for an amicable settlement of the matter, but Madam Samaa refused.

The next evening Akowua went and hid in a forest near the wife's family house with a double barrelled gun and when Madam Samaa came out with the son to attend to nature's call he shot and killed her instantly. Some of her family members heard the gun shot and rushed to the place only to see her lying dead in a pool of blood. The source said Akowua after committing the offence bolted into a cocoa farm and shot himself with the same gun and his body was discovered by a search party that had been organized to look for him, with his gun lying beside him. The matter was reported to the police and the two bodies were deposited at Saint Elizabeth hospital mortuary at Goaso. The police, when contacted confirmed the story and said they were investigating the case.