Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 26 July 2011

Source: Ghanaian Times

Woman gets death sentence for butchering rival

The Bolgatanga High Court presided over by Mr. Justice G. A. Kwesi Kumah, on Wednesday, sentenced two persons to death when they separately appeared before it.

The first, Lamisi Zong, a 32-year-old housewife of Datuko in the Talensi Nabdam District was alleged to have butchered her rival with a cutlass a day after she gave birth to a baby boy, while she was asleep.

In the other case, a 50-year-old Ampana Aglim, a farmer of Sandema Balansa was accused of beating his wife to death after a drinking spree for allegedly stealing his GH¢60.

After counselling from the Judge, Justice G.A. Kumah, the seven-member jury returned unanimous verdicts of guilty on the two accused persons.

Prosecuting, Mr. Edward Agyeman Duodu , Chief State Attorney, said Lamisi Zong lived in the same compound with her husband, Zong Zubong, the deceased, Teni Zong 36, and her husband’s brother, Mr. Zong Zoazie.

He told the court that on May, 5, 2005, the deceased gave birth at about 1:00.a.m and so family members went to her to congratulate her after which she went to sleep.

The prosecution said the deceased and the new born baby went into their room to sleep whilst her husband also slept in the open compound of the house.

It said about 4:00a.m, while everybody was asleep, Lamisi Zong sneaked into Teni’s room with a cutlass and inflicted multiple cuts on her head and body.

Following a cry for help, the husband of the victim rushed into the room where she saw Lamisi coming out of the room with a blood stained cutlass.