68–year-old man, Kwame Tsoafonanyo, has been sentenced to six months in prison for manslaughter in hard labour under Section 239 of Act 30 by the Accra High Court (Criminal Division 3) on March 12, 2025.
This was after he pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter, having spent almost seven years in prison custody.
Tsoafonanyo was initially charged with murder by the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice in 2018, for shooting to death, Dzifa Wuame Sabu at a drinks and bar spot located at Bawaleshie pipeline, a suburb of Dodowa in Accra.
He was subsequently admitted to bail on October 10, 2023, but was unable to satisfy the bail conditions and continued to remain on remand.
On February 25, 2025 when the convict appeared again, his counsel, Jeffrey Abbey Adamson, of the Legal Aid told the court his client had decided to change his plea from guilty of murder to manslaughter in pursuant to Section 239 of Act 30.
The trail Judge, after having satisfied herself that all necessary processes had been fulfilled, permitted the accused person to retake his plea in accordance with the law.
The accused was convicted on his own plea after which sentence was passed.
In passing sentence, Justice Mary M.E Yanzuh, Presiding Judge, said she took into account the plea of mitigation argued by counsel for the accused, among others.
She also took into account of the fact that the convict did not waste the court’s time.
“I have taken into consideration the fact that the accused person is a first time offender, that is he is not known to the law, the accused person has also pleaded guilty simpliciter and not taken the court through a full trial,” Justice Yanzuh added
Justice Yanzuh also indicated that she considered the period the convict spent in custody, and the fact that he had shown remorse.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
