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 the presence of their four-year-old child.
Fiano pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received an additional 10-year sentence for possessing a firearm without lawful authority. The sentences are to run concurrently, as ruled by Justice Mrs. Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie.
The tragic incident followed an argument sparked by a phone call the victim, Grace Yorke Torku, received from a male acquaintance. In a fit of rage, Fiano entered their bedroom, retrieved a pistol, and shot her dead.
Initially charged with murder, Fiano pleaded guilty to manslaughter under Section 296(1) of Act 30, earning a reduced sentence.
His defence counsel told the court that Fiano had no prior criminal record, showed remorse, and was the primary caregiver of the couple’s children.
However, the prosecution pushed for a minimum sentence of 30 years, citing the severe emotional trauma inflicted on the child who witnessed the murder. Prosecutors also described the brutal nature of the crime, noting gunshot wounds to the victim’s head and genital area.
In sentencing, the judge considered both aggravating and mitigating factors, including Fiano’s remorse, status as a first-time offender, and parental responsibilities.
According to the prosecution, the Assemblyman for the Okomante Electoral Area, Gordon Tsimese, had alerted the police after Fiano was seen brandishing a weapon and threatening passers-by at Taaboo Line.
Police arrived to find the victim in a pool of blood. The murder weapon and an empty magazine were later recovered during a follow-up search.
Fiano was arrested at Nii Amui Park in Ashaiman through police intelligence.
A pathologist at Tema General Hospital confirmed on June 6, 2023, that the cause of death was gunshot wounds to the head.
