Tabloid News of Wednesday, 6 February 2002

Source: The Statesman

Man beheads wife and son

Tragedy struck the people of Anom, a village near Asuboi in the Suhum Kraboa-Coaltar District of the Eastern Region, on Sunday January 27, when a 38-year old farmer, Kwaku Dzila, killed his wife and beheaded his son.

Dzila, a Togolese national, after carrying out the dastardly act immediately dumped their bodies into a cocoa sack and under the cover of the night threw the bodies into a latrine pit and subsequently covered them with sand to erase any traces.

The victims, Adwoa Dzila, 32 and Kpoga Dzila 15, The Statesman learnt that, until their untimely death, had been living under tears as the erratic husband constantly threatened them with death.

When information about the murder came out the following day, Dzila suddenly became violent threatening to kill anyone who comes close to him. The residents of the village became helpless as nobody wanted to suffer a similar fate that befell the two helpless victims. Opanin Kwesi Djadey, spokesman for the community, said such tragic incident has never happened in the village before.

Djadey explained that Kwaku Dzila, popularly called “Teacher,” is a known drug addict and alcoholic whom, when under the influence of drugs and drinks, can cause mayhem. He constantly fought with the wife to the chagrin of the entire community, the spokesman said.

However, on the fateful day, Opanin Dzadey said, upon taking his “drugs” and akpeteshie, Dzila could not contain his usual anger and eventually carried out threats’ of killing the wife.

In view of his violent behaviour, a message was sent to his brother at Koforidua who came to the rescue of the villagers by persuading him to calm down with a promise to take him to Koforidua. However, on their way to Koforidua, the village spokesman said, Dzila’s brother handed him over to the police at Suhum.

The police then accompanied them back to the village where a search was conducted. The two bodies were eventually dug out from the latrine pit. However, to their chagrin, the head of the son, Kpoga, was missing.

Dzila reportedly told the police during interrogation that Kpoga’s head was taken away by his brother-in-law, whom he called “Joe.”

When the police was contacted, they confirmed the story and said Dzila has been arraigned before the Suhum Community Tribunal with a charge of provisional murder. His plea was not taken and was subsequently remanded in police custody to re-appear on February 14 when lovers will be celebrating the Valentine Day.