Accra, Dec. 12, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday slapped a 10-year jail term on a painter for pouring hot oil on his wife. Philip Kwaku Ofori, 36, pleaded guilty to the charge of intentionally and unlawfully causing harm to Janet Akosua Amoah and was convicted on his own plea in hard labour.

Handing down the sentence, the court, presided over by Mrs Georgina Dazte, looked at the degree of the burns sustained by the victim and said the sentence would serve as a deterrent to other people who cause inhuman acts and inflicted injuries to people with the aim of punishing them.

The victim could not come to court as she was responding to treatment at the hospital. Her photographs, which were presented to the court as evidence, showed the various degrees of burns from her head, face, neck, chest, the whole of her back which was swollen with some part of the skin peeling off, while the rest was bandaged. Prosecuting, George Abavelim, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) told the court the complainant, Festus Yeboah Asare was a concerned citizen living at Achimota in Accra.

He said the convict Ofori, a.k.a Koo Ofori and the wife entered into a relationship about six years ago and had a five-year-old boy. He said the convict was staying with the victim and her family in a compound house at Achimota and that in recent times there had been a series of misunderstanding between them as a result which the convict was asked to leave the house.

Prosecution said Ofori, who is currently lodging in a kiosk in the same vicinity on November 19 this year, went and bought fried yam and fish by the roadside, opposite the victim's house. ASP Abavelim said after taking the food, Ofori picked up a quarrel with one Gifty Amoah, Akosua's sister who was passing by. Akosua, who was then in her room came out trying to separate them but Ofori became offended and assaulted Akosua. Ofori then took the frying pan containing the hot oil on the fire and poured it on Akosua. ASP Abavelim said Ofori then took to his heels. Witnesses raised an alarm and he was arrested and taken to the Tasano Police Station where a complaint was lodged.

Akosua was then rushed to the Achimota Government Hospital where she was admitted. The case was transferred to the Police Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU). On November 22 this year, Akosua was referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment.