Suicide woman’s husband freed

The University of Development Studies (UDS), Navrongo Campus lecturer, Dr. Raymond Abudu Kasei, who has been on remand in connection with the death of his 34-year-old wife, Clara Leo-Atampagram, was on Wednesday granted bail by an Accra Fast Track High Court, Human Rights Division.

This was after the court had taken into consideration the pathologist report which says that Clara’s death “was consistent with hanging”.

In giving reasons for granting the accused person bail, the trial judge, Justice Kofi Mensah Essel, said the prosecution team had so far failed to lay a prima facie case against the lecturer for which he should be remanded.

He said the prosecution was to provide the burden of proof to show that the applicant should be kept in custody; but they were yet to prove what directly linked Abudu Kasei to the offence of murder.

In addition, the judge also stated that the pathologist’s report showed the cause of death was as a result of suicide and consistent with hanging.

The trial judge noted that the state wanted the applicant to be kept in custody while they concluded investigations but said they should have rather concluded investigations to be sure of the complicity of the lecturer in the murder before arresting him.

He consequently granted him a GH¢40,000 bail with two sureties.

Earlier, Egbert Faibille, counsel for Dr Kasei, who moved the motion for bail, told the court that Clara was the wife of the applicant who he had children with.

According to him, a few days before her suicide, the applicant came home and realised there was no light in their home so he went to put on a generator but realised it was also not working.

He said the lecturer went in and asked his wife why she did nothing about the electricity problem and a misunderstanding ensued, adding that Dr. Kasei called the lady’s parents to talk to them about the problem but they did not respond.

Mr. Faibille said following that, Kasei also called his own parents who spoke to his wife, after which she, in a fit of anger, entered the bedroom and locked it up.

He said his client, who thought his wife had gone to sleep, also slept in the hall but woke up at dawn when his in-laws called to find out the problem and to talk to their daughter.

Counsel said when he tried to open the door, he realised that it was still locked so he wanted to use the window, which proved unsuccessful, so he returned and broke the door open and saw his wife hanging.

Faibille noted that the deceased, who stood on the bed to hang herself, pulled it closer to middle of the room to enable her to do so.

He observed that the lecturer, who was new in the area, entered the kitchen, took a knife and cut down the rope Clara used in hanging herself, after which he raised an alarm which attracted negibours.

Counsel for the applicant said the deceased was thought to be alive so she was rushed to hospital by her husband and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Nsawam Government Hospital.

He said his client was innocent as the pathologist’s report proved her death was a result of the suicide she committed and prayed the court to grant him bail because there were people willing to stand sureties, adding that he was a responsible person who would make himself available for trial.

Mrs. Evelyn Keelson, a state attorney in the matter who responded to the motion, prayed the court not to grant bail to the lecturer because it was too early.

According to her, the police were still investigating the matter to ascertain whether or not he had a hand in the death of his wife, adding that if the police found out he did not have a hand in the death, the state would not hesitate to let him off the hook.