Farmer before court for arson

Cape Coast, Aug 18, GNA - James Boafo, a 23-year- old farmer from Twifo-Mampong who drove away his wife and their five-month old baby from his home and set the room of a neighbour ablaze for offering them shelter was on Thursday remanded by a circuit court in Cape Coast. Boafo pleaded guilty, begged for an out of court settlement but the presiding judge, Mr Beresford Acquah, remanded him for two months and asked him to pacify the victim, pending the consideration of his appeal.

Prosecuting, Mr Daniel Mukwei said Boafo picked a quarrel with his wife in the morning of August 6 and asked her to pack her belongings and leave their room.

He asked her to leave town and threatened that both she and the person who would offer her shelter would "suffer the consequences". The wife approached one Madam Akua Yeboah, a middle age woman, who offered her accommodation and while she was sweeping the room Boafo showed up and reminded her of his threat. The wife moved out of Madam Yeboah's room and lodged elsewhere but not knowing that his wife had moved, Boafo came back to set it ablaze, destroying personal belongings valued at 3.4 million cedis.