Man sentenced to death for 'killing' his in-law over sex in Tamale

A man who killed his wife’s relative in a fierce struggle over sex has now been sentenced to death after five years of trial at a High Court in Tamale, the Northern Regional State Attorney, Qudus Salia, who led the prosecution has told Starr News.

The convict, Nabinte Lokwai, 35, was sentenced to death by hanging by the court presided over by Justice Edward Apenkwah on Thursday July 12, 2018, after a seven-member jury unanimously found the accused guilty of murder.

The State Prosecutor giving details of the crime said Lokwai was arrested by immigration officers near Ghana’s northern border with Cote D’ivoire on May 19, 2013, after he attempted to flee after stabbing to death his wife’s sister, Gbeno Yongbon, at Bale, a village in Bole Bamboi district.

Mr. Qudus narrated that the deceased was picking shea nuts at a farm on the day she was killed when the convict approached her and demanded for sex. The attorney added that when the deceased declined, the convict then stabbed her multiple times after failed attempts to forcibly rape her.

The woman was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead after a woman who witnessed the painful murder raced into the village and announced the news about the incident.

The convict was arrested the next day while he was fleeing into the neighboring country and handed over to police in the district capital. He confessed killing his wife’s sister after the failed rape attempt.

The Regional State Attorney told Starr News that five more people are currently on the list and might suffer similar fate.

“We started in February, this is a special trial and we are at various stages of completion. So between now to 31st [When the court would rise], we have about five or six in the pipeline. One manslaughter suspect who killed the mother of his child two weeks ago was sentenced to 50years,” Mr. Qudus disclosed.