The Tamale High Court has sentenced to death a student at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Salifu Nurudeen, for the murder of his colleague, Wumpini Mohammed Zakiu, in a crime of passion.

Per reports, Nurudeen attacked the deceased after his girlfriend, also a UDS student, left him for Wumpini. In September 2024, Wumpini was found dead with multiple stab wounds. His phone was nowhere to be found at the crime scene.

It was later discovered under Nurudeen’s bed, following investigations by the Police cybercrime unit. In court, the prosecution provided evidence that showed that Nurudeen had sent messages from the victim’s phone—one breaking up with his girlfriend (Nurudeen’s ex) and another to Wumpuni’s friend.

After being arrested at Jubilee Park, the convict denied murdering Wumpini but admitted to sending the said text messages. Nurudeen was found guilty of murder by the Tamale High Court.

In recent times, Ghana has recorded a number of crimes of passion. In most instances, the party suspecting infidelity attacks the other party with acid or murders them in a bizarre manner, either by poisoning, gunshot, or cutlass wounds. The number of cases reported as a result of crimes of passion is unknown; however, the cases are expected to be substantial. Many members of the general public are now extra cautious before getting themselves into romantic relationships, as the mental state of their partners are mostly unknown until an unfortunate incident happens.

The Koforidua Police have reapprehended a 29-year-old woman, Vera Akosua Asare, for the death of her boyfriend, Daniel Omane, whom she attacked with acid.

Earlier this year, Vera Asare was arrested after her boyfriend sustained severe injuries following her attack.

Per reports, Vera poured acid on Daniel Omane while he was asleep in his room over suspected infidelity.

The two are said to have a child together. Following Vera’s action, Omane screamed, alerting their neighbors, who prevented Vera from bolting. Her co-tenants handed her over to the police. Omane Daniel was transported to the Eastern Regional Hospital. Since March, he had been in critical condition.

Vera Asare was initially remanded after her arrest but was subsequently granted bail by the court to enable her to cater for her child while Omane received treatment.

Per reports, Daniel Omane succumbed to his injuries a few days ago after months, leading to the rearrest of Vera, who is expected to face fresh charges following her lover’s death.

In May this year, a 30-year-old woman, Mavis Nkrumah, was arrested by the Greater Accra Regional Police Command for allegedly pouring a liquid substance suspected to be acid on her ex-boyfriend at Ablekuma Fan Milk, a suburb of Accra.

The Police's preliminary investigation suggests that on the night of the attack, May 28, Mavis appeared unannounced at the victim's residence at approximately 1:00 a.m.

The victim, Gideon Frimpong, a 29-year-old taxi driver, engaged her in a brief conversation, during which Mavis asked him to drive her home. Gideon agreed and offered to take her.

On reaching a section of the road, Gideon requested Mavis to alight since the road ahead was bumpy and rough and his vehicle could not drive there.

During the stop at Ofankor, a 7-day stretch, Mavis questioned him about their relationship. After the third confirmation of their breakup, she poured the substance suspected to be acid on him.

The victim, Gideon Frimpong, was identified by a group of people and subsequently rushed to the hospital, where he was treated for injuries sustained. He has since been discharged.

Mavis Nkrumah is said to have fled the scene after the incident and attempted to bolt into a neighbouring country.

She was, however, apprehended on June 3, by the police and is currently in custody, assisting the police with their investigations.

The use of harmful substances by grieving partners has become rife in the country. Many lives have been lost due to an emotional heartbreak or cheating.

The Accra Regional Police Command has therefore cautioned the public to seek lawful and peaceful means of resolving issues.

"Acts of violence are criminal and will be dealt with by the law," the Police reaffirmed.

Meanwhile, the Police remain committed to ensuring public safety and urge all to report suspicious or harmful behaviour promptly to the nearest police station.

The Criminal Offences Act states that “a person who intentionally causes the death of another person by an unlawful harm commits murder, unless the murder is reduced to manslaughter by reason of an extreme provocation, or any other matter of partial excuse.”

A person who commits murder is liable to suffer death, per the country’s laws. A person who attempts to commit murder commits a first degree felony. A person who, being under sentence of imprisonment for three years or more, attempts to commit murder is liable to suffer death.

Genocide

(1) A person who commits genocide is liable on conviction to be sentenced to death.

(2) A person commits genocide where, with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, any national, ethical, racial or religious group, that person

(a) kills members of the group;

(b) causes serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

(c) deliberately inflicts on the group conditions of life calculated to bring its physical destruction in whole or in part;

(d) imposes measures intended to prevent births within the group;

(e) forcibly transfers children of the group to another group.

A person who commits manslaughter commits a first-degree felony. A person who causes the death of another person by an unlawful harm commits manslaughter, but if the harm causing the death is caused by negligence, that person has not committed manslaughter unless the negligence amounts to a reckless disregard for human life.

Intentional murder reduced to manslaughter

A person who intentionally causes the death of another person by unlawful harm commits manslaughter, and not murder or attempted murder, if that person

(a) was deprived of the power of self-control by an extreme provocation given by the other

person as is mentioned in sections 53, 54, 55 and 56; or

(b) was justified in causing harm to the other person, and, in causing harm in excess of the harm

which that person was justified in causing, that person acted from a terror of immediate death or grievous harm that in fact deprived that person for the time being of the power of self-control; or

(c) in causing the death, acted in the belief, in good faith and on reasonable grounds, of being under a legal duty to cause the death or to do the act which that person did; or

(d) being a woman she caused the death of a child, which is a child under the age of twelve months, at a time when the balance of her mind was disturbed because she had not fully recovered from the effect of giving birth to the child or by reason of the effect of lactation consequent on the birth of the child.