Man sets himself on fire after failed attempt to kill his wife

In a deeply distressing turn of events in Abeka in the Greater Accra Region, there have been reports of a man, believed to be in his 50s, who purportedly set himself on fire after a thwarted attempt to kill his wife.

This incident occurred in the wee hours of Monday, May 6, 2024, around 3 am.

According to reports, Collins Jones, the husband of a mother of three, reportedly attacked his wife while she was asleep on Monday morning at approximately 3 am.

Martina Jones, the wife of the man, recounted how her husband struck her with a pestle hidden beneath their bed, causing injuries to her forehead.

Speaking to Adom News, Martina described her harrowing experience, detailing how her husband then seized her by the neck, attempting to strangle her as she struggled for air.

Summoning courage, Martina managed to break free from his grasp and fled the room.

Outside, Martina was aided by concerned neighbors who rushed her to the hospital. Meanwhile, realizing the severity of his actions, Collins, believed to be in his late 50s, reportedly barricaded himself indoors and set himself ablaze.

Despite neighbors' attempts to rescue him, Collins sustained critical injuries and was hurried to the hospital, where he later passed away. Martina, speaking to Citi News, expressed bewilderment over the motive behind the attack, asserting that she had not wronged her husband.

He said I have not wronged him in any way to warrant such an attack. One of our children saw the pestle hidden under our bed and showed it to me. I enquired where the pestle was from and he said it was placed there by his father.

I asked what it was going to be used for and he said probably his father will be sending it to work. When he hit me with the pestle at night, I wondered if the intention was to kill me so I struggled with him and managed to take the pestle from him. After moments of struggle, I managed to escape the situation.

Ghana, like many countries, has legislation in place to address domestic violence, yet implementation and enforcement remain fraught with challenges.

Survivors often face obstacles when seeking assistance, ranging from fear of retaliation to limited access to shelters and support services.

Moreover, cultural attitudes that prioritize family reputation over individual safety can deter victims from speaking out or seeking help, further perpetuating the cycle of abuse.

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