From UK to Germany and US: Cases of spousal killings linked to Ghanaians abroad

Several Ghanaians living abroad have been killed or seriously injured in incidents involving their spouses, while in other cases, Ghanaian spouses have been accused of killing their partners.

The reported incidents, involving shootings and stabbings in countries including the United States and elsewhere in Europe, have resulted in deaths, serious injuries and criminal charges.

Some of the cases have gone before the courts, while others remain under investigation.

This article highlights some of the reported cases in which Ghanaian spouses have either been killed by their partners or accused of killing their spouses abroad.

1. Ghanaian man stabbed African-American wife during divorce proceedings in California – 2005

In 2005, a Ghanaian man called Wisdom Ofoe, 50, was accused of stabbing his African-American wife, Deanna Ofoe, 41, to death in a Sacramento hospital parking lot.

According to multiple reports, the incident happened after the couple had begun divorce proceedings about a week earlier.

2. Ghanaian man jailed after stabbing wife 15 times in UK – 2012

Also in 2015, Minta Adiddo, a British-Ghanaian man, was sentenced to a minimum of 17 years after killing his Ghanaian wife, Akua Agyemang, in North London.

Minta Adiddo was found guilty of stabbing Akua Agyemang, who was also of Ghanaian descent, multiple times in 2012.

The victim died from her injuries after being taken to the hospital.

3. Ghanaian woman shot and killed by husband in Orlando - 2020



In 2020, Barbara Tommey was shot seven times by her husband, a Ghanaian pastor named Sylvester Ofori, in Orlando, in the United States.

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 had been beating his wife for many years. Barbara's family persuaded her to leave Sylvester, which she did.

The husband, however, tracked her to her workplace, where he shot her seven times after a short confrontation. The couple, who were in the middle of a divorce and were separated at the time of the incident, had been married for some five years.

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

From Professor to Pastor’s Wife: 4 times Ghanaians have been shot or stabbed by their spouses in the US

4. Ghanaian man shot wife before killing himself in Ohio – 2023



In 2023, a tragic incident unfolded in Columbus, Ohio, as a Ghanaian man took his own life after shooting his wife, leaving her critically wounded. The incident, according to Fox 28, started as a domestic violence dispute and left neighbours in disbelief.

According to Michael Montgomery, a next-door neighbour, the couple had always been pleasant, and they had never witnessed any problems between them. He described the news as "very, very shocking."

At approximately 10:36 pm, Columbus police responded to a report of a domestic violence incident in the 4800 block of Glendon Road. However, as the officers were en route, the situation escalated into a shooting. Upon arrival, the police discovered that 49-year-old Kwabena Michael Amoako had tragically lost his life.

The 50-year-old woman, identified as Yaa Gyamfua, his wife, had sustained gunshot wounds and was rushed to Riverside Methodist Hospital in critical condition. Preliminary investigations conducted by the police revealed that Amoako had shot his wife before taking his own life.

5. Ghanaian woman allegedly stabbed husband to death in Germany – 2026

A Ghanaian woman identified as Joan was reported to have allegedly stabbed her husband, Eben, in Hamburg, Germany, earlier this year.

According to a report by MyNewsGh, the couple had previously been in a relationship in Ghana and later had a child together.

The report says the couple subsequently divorced and that Joan was arrested after the incident.

6. US-based Ghanaian professor shot dead by wife – 2026



The latest shooting incident involves a Ghanaian professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Dr Kofi Akamani, who died after being shot multiple times by his wife at a home in Jackson County, Illinois.

His wife, 35-year-old Betty Akamani, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with his death. According to court records and the Jackson County State's Attorney's Office, the couple had been separated for about two years and were in the process of getting a divorce.

Court records indicate that Betty Akamani is accused of shooting her 48-year-old husband multiple times while he was sitting in his car in the driveway of her Murphysboro home.

Kofi Akamani was taken to a hospital in Carbondale, where he later died from his injuries. The Jackson County State's Attorney, Marsha Cascio-Hale, later confirmed that the shooting occurred at a home on Anthony Drive.

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