Husband strips wife, subjects her to severe beatings

A 25-year old farmer who had a dream that his wife had divorced him, quickly went to a soothsayer who also divined that a divorce was in the pipeline. Angry at the prospect of losing his wife, Asampabilla Akelenteera took an action, which everyone agrees was totally outlandish and senseless.

He stripped his wife naked and subjected her to a severe beating. The enraged husband is currently cooling off in police custody, having been remanded by the Bolgantaga Circuit Court. The prosecution said the accused told his wife, Abena Avoya, 19, on December 19, 2001, that he had a dream confirmed by a soothsayer that she was planning to divorce him.

To prevent the woman from going away, the accused packed her clothes, cooking utensils, a bag of groundnuts and other items belonging to her and took them to another house. Detective Chief Inspector Yahaya Bukari said that when Abena Avoya demanded from her husband that all the seized items be returned to her, the accused took offence and together with his mother, he stripped the complainant naked and beat her severely.

Not satisfied, the accused further used a knife and cut his wife's plaited hair, and later took her to her mother and told her. "Take your foolish daughter." According to the prosecutor, the accused’s mother-in-law on seeing her daughter's terrible condition, reported the case to the police at Sirugu. He said Abena was rushed to the Novrongo Hospital where she was treated.