"Jilted" dad kills 1-year-old son (Basingere, Ghana)

Father JAMES KOFI MENSAH (aka QUARCOO) has been charged with murder for the strangulation death of his 1-year-old son.

http://www.newtimesonline.com/story/297

Jilted Father Kills Son
Tuesday July 14, 2009
By Kingsley E. Hope, Bibiani

Handcuff
A 32-year-old man who allegedly killed his one year-old baby boy because his wife has left him, has been arrested by the police.

James Kofi Mensah, also known as Quarcoo, a farmer, was said to have strangled the little boy at Basingere, in Bibiani, after which he fled the cottage, last Saturday.

He was however arrested at his hide-out the following day.

Kofi Mensah has been charged with murder and would soon appear in court, according to Bibiani District Police Commander, Samson Anane-Appiah. He told the Times that Kofi Mensah had been married to Comfort Abukari, also known as Akua Atomee, 27, a trader and farmer, for 10-years and they had two children.

Mr Anane-Appiah said a misunderstanding ensued between them and the woman decided to end the marriage.

He said although the marriage had not been formally dissolved Akua left her husband and went to her own house.

On Saturday, July 11, Akua went to the farm leaving the children with a neighbour but because their house was close to the husband’s house, the boy was said to have crawled to the father’s place at about 2 pm.

According to the police, Kofi Mensah took the boy into his room and strangled him to death after which he left him outside and fled the cottage.

Mr Anane-Appiah said on her retrun from the farm Akua was informed that her son was seen with his father.

When she went to her husband’s house Mensah was nowhere to be found but the body of the boy was found behind the house.