The High Court in Ho has sentenced Simon Kwabena, a 42-year-old farmer, to life imprisonment for the 2020 murder of his pregnant wife, Lasim Nignen.
Justice Charity Asem delivered the verdict on May 12, 2025, ending a five-year trial that exposed severe domestic violence in Ghana’s Oti Region.
Evidence confirmed Kwabena attacked his 30-year-old wife with a cutlass during a dispute on May 20, 2020, killing her and their unborn child. While Kwabena pleaded not guilty to murder, he admitted causing the injuries, citing verbal provocation. Senior State Attorney Andrews Dodzi Adugu presented eyewitness testimony, medical reports, and police records of Kwabena’s suicide attempt after the crime. The court dismissed his defense, emphasizing the gravity of violence against women.
The case highlights Ghana’s struggle with gender-based violence, following recent stricter penalties for domestic crimes. UN Women reports 38% of female homicides in Ghana involve intimate partners.
