Farmer jailed 15 years for attempted murder

The Nkawie Circuit Court has slapped a 15-year jail term on a 36-year-old farmer, who attempted to kill his stepson for ritual purposes.

Akwasi Owusu pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted on his own plea.

Police Inspector Jonas Newlove Agyei, told the Court presided over by Mr Michael Johnson Abbey that, the convict lived with his wife and stepson at Abodwese cottage near Manfo in the Ahafo-Ano North Municipality of Ashanti.

He said some time ago, the convict informed his wife to permit him to kill and use the blood of his stepson to perform certain rituals to get money.

The prosecution said the convict promised to build a nice house for the wife upon her approval, but the wife rejected the idea and warned the husband against it.

He said the convict who was bent on carrying out the act on February 12, this year, at about 1900 hours, while the boy was asleep in his room, sneaked in, switched off the lights and began to strangle the boy.

He said the wife who had been monitoring the convict also rushed into the room and met the strangulated boy, lying unconscious with a swollen neck, in the room.

Mr Agyei said she raised an alarm which attracted some community members and the convict was arrested and handed over to the Police, while the victim was rushed to Tepa Government Hospital, for treatment.

The prosecution said in his cautioned statement, the convict admitted trying to kill the boy.