Farmer kills wife in front of their children

A cocoa farmer at Wiredukrom, a farming community in the Mpohor District in the Western Region, has reportedly killed his wife in the presence of their three children.

The farmer, identified as Egya Ata, 38, is said to have inflicted machete wounds on the head and neck of the wife that led to her death as the couple engaged in what neighbours described as one of their regular early morning disagreements.

He has since been arrested by the police while attempting to negotiate an escape plan with his brother.

The three children of the couple are aged between one and five.

The incident happened at about 6 a.m.

Flee

Ata reportedly fled the scene of the incident and ran to his brother in a neighbouring community after the act.

The brother, seemingly alarmed over the blood stains on Ata, thought Ata had been attacked by the wife.

The brother rushed to the house of the couple only to discover the lifeless body of Ata’s wife, who was identified as Ama Gifty.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Nkosuohene of Wuredukron, Nana Promise Essilfie, said Ama Gifty and Ata were a known couple in their neighbourhood.

“On the day of the incident, Ama, who was a food vendor, was preparing to go and buy some ingredients at the nearby Kojokrom Market,” he said.

He said due to time constraints, the woman decided not to prepare breakfast, and instead bought porridge for the children before leaving the house to Kojokrom.

“Upon returning with the porridge, a scuffle ensued in their room and Ata prevented her from leaving the room,” Nana Essilfie narrated.

He said Ata rushed to the residence of his brother in the nearby community.

“The brother said Ata came to his house with his clothes heavily stained with blood.

When he sought to find out the cause of the blood stains, Ata said the wife had attacked him.” Nana Essilfie said.

He said the brother rushed to the residence of Ata only to see Ama dead, with her children sitting by the body crying and shouting their mother’s name.
 

Changing clothes

The brother of Ata, he said, returned to ask him (Ata) what exactly happened, but Ata instead burnt his blood stained clothes, changed into the brother’s clothes and went into hiding.

He said after hours of a fruitless search by the community members for him, Ata returned to the brother in the night to strike a deal with the brother for him to manage his cocoa farm and to help him escape.

“Ata told the brother he wanted to hand over his cocoa farm to him, and that they should first go to the owner of the land, which the brother agreed to,” he said.

Nana Essilfie said the brother then sneaked out of the room and informed the police and Ata was subsequently arrested.

The police confirmed the arrest of Ata, and said he was currently in their custody and helping in the investigation process.