Farmer remanded for murder of ex-girlfriend

Dormaa Ahenkro (B/A), Feb. 16, GNA - A circuit court at Dormaa Ahenkro on Wednesday remanded Kwasi Gyan, a 20-year-old farmer at Ahenfiekrom, near Nkrankwanta in Dormaa District for allegedly murdering Alice Adjei, 19, his ex-girlfriend.

His plea was not taken as the court presided by Mr. Justice Vincent Senu has indicated that the duplicate docket on the case would be prepared for onward transmission to the Attorney General's office for advice.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Joseph Awutenga of the Nkrankwanta Police Station told the court that Gyan and the deceased had been in a relationship for two years and bore a child. He said later the girl's parents disapproved of the relationship on grounds that the couple were cousins and could therefore not marry. Chief Inspector Awutenga told the crowded court that the accused refused to pay heed to the family's advice but the girl assented and took a new lover.

The girl's compliance with the family's advice, the prosecutor added, did not go down well with the accused, who vowed to teach her a lesson.

Chief Inspector Awutenga said on February 13 this year at about 0530 hours, the accused came to the deceased's house and invited her out for a chat.

The prosecutor said the girl realized that her ex-lover was holding a sharp cutlass but little did it occur to her that Gyan meant to harm her.

He said when they walked a distance of about 30 metres Gyan slashed her on the face and the blow sent her to the ground in a pool of blood with their baby still feeding on her breast. Chief Inspector Awutenga said the girl was rushed to the Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Gyan bolted to Akotokrom, a near-by village but was traced upon a tip off and arrested.

When the case was called the accused admitted the offence but could not give any tangible reason for committing it.

The body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Presbyterian Hospital mortuary in Dormaa Ahenkro pending autopsy, while the child has been placed under the care of a foster parent.