Accra: A 60-year-old man, Doe Fiano, has been sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment by an Accra High Court for fatally shooting his wife in front of their four-year-old child.
According to Ghana News Agency, Fiano pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received an additional 10-year sentence for possessing a firearm without lawful authority. The sentences will run concurrently, as decided by Justice Mrs. Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie.
The incident unfolded after an argument between the couple, triggered by a phone call the victim, Grace Yorke Torku, received from a male acquaintance. In a fit of rage, Fiano retrieved a pistol from their bedroom and shot her.
Initially charged with murder, Fiano chose to plead guilty to manslaughter under Section 296(1) of Act 30, resulting in a reduced sentence. His defense attorney highlighted Fiano's lack of a prior criminal record, his demonstrated remorse, and his role as a caregiver for their children.
The prosecution, however, argued for a minimum 30-year sentence, underscoring the emotional trauma inflicted on the child who witnessed the shooting. They detailed the gunshot wounds to the victim's head and genital area.
In her ruling, the judge considered both aggravating and mitigating factors, acknowledging Fiano's remorse, his status as a first-time offender, and his responsibilities towards his children.
According to the prosecution, Gordon Tsimese, the assemblyman for Okomante electoral area, notified the police after the incident at Taaboo Line, where Fiano was seen wielding a weapon and threatening bystanders. Police arrived to find the victim in a pool of blood, later recovering the weapon and an empty magazine.
Fiano was apprehended at Nii Amui Park in Ashaiman through police intelligence. On June 6, 2023, a pathologist at Tema General Hospital confirmed the cause of death as gunshot wounds to the head, categorizing it as unnatural.
