Ghanaian pastor who 'killed' wife in US set to face trial after 2 years

Two years after the September 8, 2020 murder of 27-year-old Barbara Tommey in Orlando Florida – USA, her husband who has been charged for the murder of Barbara is set to stand trial.

Sylvester Ofori, who was the head pastor of Floodgates of Heaven in Orlando, was captured on CCTV in heated confrontation with his wife at the gate of her workplace where he shot her 7 times in the head.

Two years after the gruesome murder, Ofori, according to a report by Kofi Adomah Nwanwani of Kofi TV was brought to court this week for the start of the murder trial.

Ofori according to the report turned down a plea deal from the prosecution and the judge adjourned the case for a trial to commence in July.

“Today, Sylvester Ofori was brought to court and from his demeanour he did not show any sign of regret. According to reports, he was given a plea deal to accept his guilt and receive a jail term of 50 years.

"He has refused it on the basis that he will defend his actions because his lawyers have assured him that the maximum sentence he will get is 15 or 16 years based on his defence. But if he is found guilty after the full trial, he faces a sentence of up to 100 years,” Kofi Adomah narrated in his YouTube report sighted by GhanaWeb.

“From our interactions with the family, their expectation is that he is sentenced to 100 years or at least 74 years. But his lawyers are adamant that they can defend him and that has led to him refusing the plea deal.

"The trial has been adjourned to July 15, where he is expected to present his evidence. As it stands now, he is in the custody of police,” he said.

The family of Barbara who remain devastated over her murder, however, are hopeful that justice will be served at the end of the trial.

“The family remains saddened by the incident. Her mother is worst affected to the extent that her bed remains untouched after 2 years. Her father who is a retired soldier is in pains. They are all hoping that justice will be served,” Kofi Adomah narrated.



Background

Barbara Tommey was shot seven times by her husband; a Ghanaian pastor named Sylvester Ofori in the United States of America. Ofori and Barbara were both staying in the US as husband and wife before Barbara left him due to his abusive behaviour.

According to sources, the man has been beating the wife for so many years now coupled with his irresponsible acts.

The family of Barbara persuaded her to leave Sylvester which she did.

The husband, however, tracked her to her workplace where he shot her 7 times after a short confrontation.



The couple who were in the middle of a divorce and were separated at the time of the incident, were married for some five years.

Following the fatal shooting of Barbara, her family released a video where her husband threatened to kill the 27-year-old some few days before the murder.

The late Barbara Tommey in the company of her elder brother, Perry and some family members, had visited her estranged husband’s home to pick up some documents when she was attacked by the husband in the presence of her family members.

A heated exchange between her brother and her husband resulted in Ofori issuing a threat to murder his wife.

“If I don’t kill your sister then I am fake,” the pastor blurted out.

Barbara was buried on Saturday, September 26, 2020 in Orlando following a burial and funeral service at the Kingdom Church in Orlando, Florida.



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