Farmer fined for threatening his wife

A Magistrate's court at Elmina on Friday fined Opanyin Kweku Mensah, a 49-year-old farmer at Komenda-Dominase 600,000 cedis for threatening and assaulting his 28-year-old wife, Aba Awoye.

Mensah pleaded guilty and would go to prison for six months if he fails to pay the fine.

Police Inspector Joshua Eduful told the court presided over by Mr Kwame Essel, that on October 20, last year, a misunderstanding arose between Mensah and Aba when Mensah forced Aba to leave her matrimonial home.

He said the woman who returned to the husband's house late in the evening on the same day decided not to sleep on the husband's bed but rather on the floor.

Inspector Eduful said Mensah after seeing that his wife was sleeping on the floor decided to join her but the woman refused and this infuriated Mensah who picked his single barrel gun and threatened to kill her.

The prosecution said the woman became afraid and fled to inform her relatives at Atabaadze near Elmina.

The following day, the family detailed some elders including the woman's brother, Kobina Buadu to accompany her to go and bring her personal belongings from the husband's house, the prosecution said.

Inspector Eduful said when Mensah saw her wife packing her belongings, he again picked his gun and threatened her but neighbours around took away the gun from him.

Mensah then pikc a cutlass and hit Buadu, the brother in-law.

A report was made to the police and the accused person was arrested and during a search at the police station a life cartridge was found on him.

The court ordered that the gun be confiscated to the state.

Mr. Andrew Coleman, counsel for the accused had earlier pleaded with the court to deal leniently with his client because he is the breadwinner of his family and that any custodian sentence would adversely affect members of the family.