Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 2 August 2011

Source: GNA

Trader remanded for threatening concubine

A 35-year-old trader, who threatened to stab his concubine, nursing a three-week-old baby, with a knife over his lost wallet, has been remanded into prison custody by a Kumasi Circuit Court.

Kwabena Effah pleaded not guilty to the offence and would re-appear on Monday, August 15.

Police Chief Inspector David Opoku told the court, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Amoh-Yartey, that Patricia Frimpong and the accused, although not legally married, lived together at Bantama in Kumasi and had two children; a two-year old boy and three-week old baby.

On July 21, the woman asked him for money to manage the home but he dismissed the request and left the house only to return drunk the next day at dawn.

The prosecution said the woman was then sleeping and was violently woken from her sleep by the accused over his alleged missing wallet.

She denied seeing the wallet but Effah would not take that and threw a blow at her but missed, hitting the baby in the process.

Still seething with anger he threatened to stab Patricia and she had to run for her life.

Police Chief Inspector Opoku said it took the intervention of his mother, who lived in the same neighbourhood, to calm him. This was after Patricia had refunded the GH¢4.00 he claimed was in the wallet.

After taking the money, Effah went straight for the baby that was lying in the room and dumped it outside, insisting he was not the father.

Patricia made a formal report to the police and he was arrested.