Pregnant woman jailed for 2 years for hitting her husband’s girlfriend

A pregnant woman has been sentenced to 2 years in prison for assaulting her husband’s mistress.

The woman, who is five months pregnant, was found guilty of hitting her husband’s girlfriend with a sandal in Ghana and she was sentenced to 2 years behind bars. She has now begun her sentence, in her pregnant state.

According to a Ghanaian journalist identified as Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng, the woman’s husband brought his girlfriend to their house and allegedly gave her his wife’s cloth to put on. When the wife found out, she confronted the lady and hit her with a sandal.

Ibrahim wrote:

I encountered this beautiful young lady at the Nsawam Female Prison last week. She has been convicted for 2 years with a 5 months old pregnancy, and came into the prison with her one and a half year old son. Her offence? She tells me her “husband” brought in his girlfriend into the house and gave the lady her dress to wear.

She couldn’t believe what was unfolding in her eyes and could not contain the humiliation. She confronted the lady and a fight ensued. In the course of the struggle, she hit the lady with a sandals she laid hands on and was jailed for assault. Since coming to prison, this so-called husband has never visited her.

My appeal is for some of our judges to fully consider the overall context of events before handing down sentences. I have a feeling they are sometimes misled by the police? For how long will the Alternative Sentencing Bill which could possibly prescribe community sentences in such cases, continue to gather dust in Parliament?

Shouldn’t pregnant women be given suspended sentences instead? I simply don’t understand why the Criminal Offences Act 1960 which obviously needs a review after so many years of usage continue to dictate the pace. We are all not safe!

She has a fine of 1400 Ghs to pay and another 2000 for the injuries caused to her attacker, making it 3400 Ghs in all to secure her release. You may want to help! At Crime Check Foundation, CCF, we champion the cause of the poor and the voiceless. Join us do so!