Former Tema mayor accused of beating wife

Credible information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that the former mayor of Tema, Robert Kempis Ofosu-Ware, has allegedly assaulted his wife physically.

The wife, whose name was given as Afua Kempis, was reported to have sustained various degrees of injury on her face and other parts of her body, with blood oozing from her mouth and nostrils.

The incident allegedly occurred at his residence in Community 3, Tema. Kempis has, however, denied the speculation but said it was his son – a stepson of the woman – who rather pummelled his wife after which he (Kempis) packed her belongings on a truck and sent her to her parents’ house at Community 4.

However, yesterday Afua was reported to have called at the Tema Regional Police Command in the morning where she lodged a formal complaint against her husband.

Police medical report form was issued to her to go for treatment and examination, but as at the time of filing this report, she was yet to return to the Marine Department of the Tema Regional Police Command, where she officially made a case against the husband.

The case, per the information, had been handed over to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) for further investigations as the former mayor was yet to be invited or arrested.

What triggered the purported misunderstanding was scanty, as a source close to the family told DAILY GUIDE that the defeated National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Tema East in the 2012 elections often accused the wife of infidelity and lack of respect.

“I understand they were having their usual argument, but the wife’s voice was higher than the man’s. She said something which provoked the man to beat her,” the source claimed.

Another source also claimed that Afua was beaten because she could not provide food for the husband’s brother.

Police sources at the Regional Police Command confirmed the case to DAILY GUIDE, explaining that the wife of the former mayor had her mouth swollen as well as the face and the jaws.

Mr Ofosu-Ware, speaking to DAILY GUIDE via telephone, denied ever using his hand on his wife, but maintained that “My wife had a misunderstanding with my son who is the stepson. I was returning home when I heard an unusual noise in my house. I rushed in and saw my wife and son fighting and I separated them.”

Queried on what led to the fight, he declined commenting, saying that “It is a long family issue which I have been trying hard to resolve so I don’t want to talk about the domestic issue.”

According to him, his son, after assaulting his stepmother, left the house and was yet to return.