A distressing incident unfolded in Wiredukrom, a farming community in the Mpohor District of the Western Region, as a cocoa farmer allegedly took the life of his wife during an early morning argument last Tuesday. The police have successfully apprehended the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Egya Ata.
According to reports, the couple's three young children, aged between one and five years, were unfortunate witnesses to the horrifying incident, which occurred around 6 a.m.
After committing the act, Egya Ata hastily sought refuge at his brother's residence, his shirt stained with blood. He claimed that his wife, Ama Gifty, had actually assaulted him. Alarmed by the situation, the brother accompanied Egya Ata back to the scene, only to discover the lifeless body of Ama on the ground.
Nana Promise Essilfie, the Nkosuohene of Wiredukrom, informed Graphic Online's Dotsey Koblah Aklorbortu that the deceased and the suspect had been cohabiting but were not officially married, despite having three children together.
On the fateful morning, Ama, who worked as a food vendor, explained that she wouldn't be able to prepare breakfast for the family due to her tardiness in going to the nearby Kojokrom Market to purchase food ingredients for her business. Instead, she left the house around 6:30 a.m. to buy porridge (Koko) for the children.
Upon her return with the porridge, a heated altercation allegedly erupted in their room, and Egya Ata reportedly prevented her from leaving. Nana Essilfie revealed that following the wife's tragic demise, Egya Ata went to his brother's residence in a neighboring community, wearing a blood-stained shirt, and claimed that his wife had attacked him.
The brother rushed to Egya Ata's residence, only to find Ama's lifeless body, surrounded by her distraught children, who were calling out her name and weeping.
Upon returning to confront Egya Ata, the brother discovered that he had burned his blood-stained shirt and changed into one of the brother's shirts before fleeing the house.
Later in the evening, Egya Ata returned to his brother's home and made an offer: he would surrender his cocoa farm to his brother for management if he assisted him in escaping. Sensing the gravity of the situation, the brother feigned interest and discreetly alerted the police.
This heartbreaking incident has sent shockwaves through the community, underscoring the urgent need for measures to address domestic violence and ensure the safety of individuals within households.