A food-poisoning plot hatched by a 34-year-old man at the Jaway Anlo, a fishing community near Half Assini in the Jomoro District in the Western Region, against his girlfriend, ended up killing her and four children.
The children died with their mum, Ami Noviegbor Kugblenu, 26, after they had eaten ‘gari-fortor’, a local dish, which had been laced with rodenticide, a poisonous substance.
The suspect, Mawutor Hoevor,who is now in Police custody has pleaded guilty to the crime.
[contextly_sidebar id=”3ZJKFQSgo7akk7T9MIH7Tp79Fjf43dzO”]The children aged three, two, and three were identified as Miracle Woeko Nelson Woeko Fredrick Galatsi and Angela Yetume respectively.
The couple had allegedly cohabited for years without children.
The suspect had earlier expressed his unwillingness to pay Ami’s bride price and settle down with her.
She had reportedly also complained about bouts of sexual assault from the man, and was, therefore, forced to abandon the suspect’s home.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Jomoro District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police, Mr John F. Dzineku, said the suspect sneaked into the room of the woman at about 4 a.m. on Monday and poisoned the gari she used in preparing the meal the following morning for breakfast.
Mr Dzineku said while Ami, who was a fishmonger, was waiting for her friend so that they could move to the shore for the day’s business, the children of Ami’s friend started crying and complaining of hunger.
To save time, Ami reportedly went for the remaining food and served the children with it.
The district commander said just after that, Ami started complaining about severe stomach pains, and was shortly followed by the four children, who also went down in pain.
They were rushed to the Half Assini Government Hospital but were declared dead on arrival.
Meanwhile the bodies of the deceased victims have been deposited at the Half Assini morgue.
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By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana