FOUR IN COURT FOR MURDER OF CHIEF'S WIFE (PAGE 31, APRIL 9, 2010)

FOUR persons have been remanded in prison custody by the Koforidua Circuit Court in connection with the murder of Madam Rose Asantewaa, 54, the wife of the chief of Dede-Sawirako.
The four are Christopher Narh, the Assembly Member for Dedeso and elder of the Church of Pentecost; Mantey Teye and his father, Joseph Teye, and Isaac Teye, who allegedly killed Madam Asantewaa.
Joseph Teye, who had gone to the court to show solidarity with his son, Mantey, who was alleged to have given the machete to Isaac to commit the crime, was arrested when Osabarima Bosompem Ayiripe, the Chief of Dede-Sawirako, identified him on the premises of the court as one of the suspects linked to the death of his wife.
The pleas of the four, who were charged with murder and abetment of crime, were not taken and they were remanded in prison custody to appear again on April 22, this year.
Presenting the facts of the case to the court, presided over by Mrs Barbara Tetteh Charwey, Inspector Eric Twum Frimpong said some months ago, Osabarima Ayiripe sold a piece of land located near his palace and the Church of Pentecost to a cattle owner.
He said Narh, who was against the sale of the land, protested to the chief on the grounds that since he (Narh) was a member of the church, the land should rather have been sold to him.
Two weeks later, the purchaser dug a foundation in an attempt to develop the piece of land but Narh, joined by other members of the church, went to the project site and covered the foundation.
Not satisfied with his action, the prosecutor said, Narh allegedly proceeded to Osabarima Ayiripe’s house to warn him that since he (the chief) had sold the land to another person, he (Narh) would kill him.
According to Inspector Frimpong, the chief reported the threat on his life to the police.
About 6 a.m. on Saturday, April 3, 2010 Isaac went to the chief’s house wielding a machete, and inflicted deep matchete wounds on his wife.
Opare, a 17-year-old son of the butchered woman, who reportedly saw the assailant in the act, took a stick and attempted to hit Isaac with it but Isaac turned around and made an attempt to kill the boy too.
While running away, Opare was said to have shouted for help but the assailant took to his heels to inform Narh about the act he had committed.
However, Isaac was arrested by some youth in the village and handed over to the police.
The chief’s wife, who was said to be bleeding profusely, was rushed to the Begoro District Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.