Woman accused of setting ex-lovers’ property ablaze gets bail

A 36-year-old trader, accused of setting her ex-lovers’ belongings on fire, has been granted GH¢30,000 bail with two sureties by the Enchi District Magistrate Court. 

Ruth Arthur, alias Amina, pleaded guilty with explanation to unlawful entry, causing damage and stealing.   

When the court presided over by Mr Lawrence Buanor-Buer gave Ruth the opportunity to offer her explanation, she gave her account of what happened, and after that the court reversed its decision and opted to grant her bail.   

General Sergeant Stephen Offei Asante, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant, David Anni, alias Nana Atopah, is an Okada rider based in Amonie in the Aowin municipality.   

He said Ruth, who is a trader, also resided in the same community with the complainant.   

Prosecution said the complainant and Ruth were in a relationship for two years, but following the demise of their two-month-old child, the accused family objected to their companionship, hence a divorce.   

He said on March 3, 2025, around 07:10 hours, while the complainant was attending a brother’s wedding at Nyameah, he received a call from his friend Akwasi, that the accused, who had previously moved out, had broken into his room and intentionally set his belongings on fire.  

Upon receiving the call, the complainant hastily returned home to discover that the accused had forcibly broken his room.   

The prosecutor said when the complainant entered his room, he went straight to where he kept his GH¢22,000, but the cash was nowhere to be found.   

He said accused allegedly damaged various appliances, including a 32-inch Hisense flat-screen television, a Binatone standing fan, Sony speakers, a master decoder, and a double-bed mattress.

He said the accused also went to the kitchen to destroy items, including a container drum and other valuables at a cost of GH₵27,019.00.

Prosecution said after receiving the report, the police accompanied the complainant to the crime scene, where he guided them to the room that the accused had apparently set on fire and destroyed his belongings.

According to General Sergeant Asante, during the inspection, a double-bed mattress and some personal effects of the complainant were discovered to be partially burnt.

He said when the accused was interrogated, she admitted the crime in her caution statement and was subsequently charged and arraigned for trial.