Elmina Chief Jailed For Beating Wife

Barely a month after the Paramount Chief of Edina Traditional Area, Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, was jailed three months for contempt of court, another chief in his traditional area, Nana Kwabena Ankwanda III, 58, the chief of Ankwanda, has been jailed by a Cape Coast Circuit Court for three months for assaulting his wife, Charlotte Aidoo.

The court, presided over by Florence Kai Otu, also sentenced the chief’s accomplice, Eric Neizer, 39, to three months in prison for assault and six months in prison for stealing to run concurrently.

Nana Ankwanda, a self-employed, was charged with harassment, intimidation, insults, assaults and threat of death.

The two accused, with the help of two others who are now at large, were arrested for beating up Charlotte Aidoo, her two sisters and the mother in law.

Prosecuting, Inspector Christina Sampong said Ms Aidoo, Francisca Arthur and Adwoa Amoaba, the mother-in-law of the chief, were the complainants.

Prosecution said on December 17, 2009 and February 6, 2010, Nana Ankwanda, Eric and the two others now at large, assaulted the wife and her two sisters, Francisca and Eva Arthur as well as the mother-in-law, Adwoa, in their house without any tangible reasons.

Inspector Sampong stated that the chief had denied the wife of her marriage rights and had been abusing her violently for the past eight years.

Prosecution told the court that in 2009, Ms. Aidoo broke her left leg when she fell down while preparing to go for a job interview, resulting in her being admitted at the Central Regional Hospital in Cape Coast.

Inspector Sampong further stated that the wife went under periodic treatment and had to invite her sisters, Francisca and Eva, as well as her mother, Adwoa, to come from Takoradi to assist her since she could not do anything by herself and the husband had also abandoned her.

On December 17, 2009, Nana Ankwanda had a misunderstanding with the wife and severely injured her fractured leg which was by then in a POP, resulting in her being admitted again at the regional hospital.

She added that on February 3, 2010, Nana Ankwanda, with the help of Eric and the other suspects, went to the house and commanded the wife and family to vacate the house without any provocation.

Inspector Sampong added that Francisca, who was in the kitchen boiling water, was severely beaten up by Nana Ankwanda and his men, who kicked her out of the house, resulting in her undergoing surgical operation.

Prosecution further said the men entered the wife’s room and began destroying their belongings and stole GH ¢860, €800 and a jewellery box belonging to Francisca.

The prosecutor stated that the conduct of the chief and his accomplice was reported at the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, leading to their arrest.

The victims were later given police medical forms to go to the hospital for treatment.

Prosecution disclosed that during interrogation, Nana Ankwanda admitted slapping his wife but Eric denied the offence.

Drama nearly unfolded in front of the court when Nana Ankwanda, who was being taken away by the police to serve his sentence, ordered a machoman who escorted him to the court to prevent DAILY GUIDE from taking his picture.

The machoman, who obeyed the instruction of the chief, snatched the camera from the reporter, a situation which compelled the police officers who were escorting the chief to order him to return the camera to its owner.

Nana Ankwanda, wearing a smock, was whisked away in a police van.