Following the tragic death of a U.S.-based Ghanaian who shot himself after shooting his wife, a voice recording of the deceased has popped up detailing what could possibly be the motive behind his suicide and attempted murder.
In the audio recording shared by Kofi TV, the 49-year-old deceased identified as Michael Amoako accused his 50-year-old wife, Harriet Yaa Gyamfua of threatening to leave him to marry her former boyfriend back in Ghana.
“Hello Awura, I am sending you this audio, I leave my house to you, pass it on to Nhyira. This morning Yaa has told me that when she returned to Ghana with her mother she planned marriage with Emmanuel Duah, they have been in a relationship for a long time, he takes care of her and that she can’t be with me any longer. She is just a friend to me; it is Emmanuel Duah who is her husband from day one. For me I only helped her to come abroad and we happen to have four children, however that does not make me her husband. So she is going to use her papers to bring Emmanuel Duah to America. That is what she told me and because of that I didn’t go to work,” the deceased said.
Amoako further issued directions about his will asking his family to ship his properties back to Ghana as well as his body. He also directed his family on how to conduct his funeral.
“Call Nana Bonsu to call Isaac so they will ship my things to Ghana. I’ve sent you the phone number of an agent, contact him for directions on the shipping. I have some of the things in the basement and I also have a kiosk in the backyard filled with goods. There is a motorbike I’ve dismantled with the spare parts in the backyard. I also have another motorbike which I have dismantled and kept the parts in a bag, I did so to avoid paying duty so fix it when you receive them. This is goodbye at this juncture, make sure you bring my body back to Ghana. Put me beside Brother Adjei. I leave you with God, don’t blame me, blame the woman for treating me this way. I can’t work for someone else to reap the fruits so goodbye, we will meet someday,” he said.
Police Respond to the Incident
At approximately 10:36 p.m. (US time) on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, Columbus police responded to a report of a domestic violence incident in the 4800 block of Glendon Road. However, as the officers were en route, the situation escalated into a shooting.
Upon arrival, the police discovered that 49-year-old Kwabena Michael Amoako had tragically lost his life. His 50-year-old wife, identified as Yaa Gyamfua, had sustained gunshot wounds and was rushed to Riverside Methodist Hospital in critical condition.
According to Michael Montgomery; a next-door neighbor, the couple had always been pleasant, and they had never witnessed any problems between them. He described the news as "very, very shocking."
Their neighbor recounted how he learned about the gunfire when the couple's three young sons knocked on his door seeking help.
"The 16-year-old said they were arguing, they heard two bangs, ran out the door, and came over here," Montgomery is quoted by Fox 28.
"They heard the shooting, and dad wouldn't let them back in the house, so they came knocking on the door," the neighbor added.
The couple, who had been living in the home for nearly a decade, were known for their active involvement in the Ghanaian community in Columbus.
Montgomery expressed his regret, wishing he could have done something to prevent the tragedy. He emphasized that there were no apparent signs of such violence within the family.
Preliminary investigations conducted by the police revealed that Amoako had shot his wife before taking his own life. Due to the severity of the woman's injuries, the Columbus Police Homicide Unit has taken charge of the investigation.
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