Jealous lover jailed for causing unlawful harm and damage

Mamponteng (Ash), April 27, GNA - A 37-year-old mason, who suspected his girlfriend of having an affair with another man and consequently set her personal belongings on fire, has found himself in jail.

Kwaku Adu was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in hard labour, when he appeared before the Mamponteng magistrate court on Wednesday. He pleaded guilty to causing unlawful harm and damage and was convicted on his own plea.

Prosecuting, Police Detective Sergeant De-Graft Armah Adjei told the court presided over by Mr Uuter P. Dery that, Adu fell in love with Ernestina Ampomah, the complainant in the middle of last year and had since been living with her at Tabuom, neat Atimatim in the Kwabre District of Ashanti.

He said the two had been "living happily thereafter" until recently, when their relationship turned sour following Adu's suspicion that Ernestima was having an affair with another man. Sergeant Adjei said on April 15, this year, Adu on seeing the complainant conversing with one Boakye, pounced on the latter without any provocation and beat him mercilessly. He said the accused, who was not satisfied with this action, further vented his spleen on Ernestina and wounded her on the wrist, a development which attracted onlookers to the scene. The prosecution said, when Adu realized that some of the neighbours in the town were attempting to rescue Ernestina, he quickly rushed to her room, set her personal belongings on fire and went into hiding.

Sergeant Adjei said Adu was arrested last Saturday and after interrogation, was charged with the offence.