Palm wine tapper commits suicide after murdering wife

Pasro (Ash), Aug. 28, GNA - Kofi Mensah, a 38-year-old palm wine tapper has hung himself, after killing his 35-year-old wife, Janet Adu at Pasro near Tanodumase in the Atwima-Mponua District of Ashanti. The bodies of the two had since been deposited at the Bibiani Government Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Briefing the Ghana News Agency at Nyinahin, Police Superintendent Samuel Aloredey, District Police Commander, said the incident occurred last Saturday, August 23, 2008.

He said the couple who had been married for seven years, but had being having some misunderstanding for sometime now. Supt Aloredey said this was as a result of the man's suspicion that the wife had been flirting with other men. Supt Aloredey said on that fateful day, Mensah took his wife's mobile phone and went to the farm with it, with the intention of checking the number of calls the woman had received from her supposed lovers.

He indicated that Janet followed the husband to the farm together with her three-year-old daughter to collect the phone, but a misunderstanding ensued during which Mensah stabbed the wife in the throat, killing her instantly.

The District Police Commander said Mensah after committing the act went to a distance and hanged himself, leaving the daughter who was chanced upon by a hunter. Supt Aloredey said a search party later saw the woman in a pull of blood with her throat cut as well as the body of the husband.