Man kills friend for raping his wife thrice

Arikim Passenger, 21, on three occasions raped his closest friend's wife with whom he lived in the same village, culminating in the couple divorcing, and went away free.

It became an open secret and the people of Adumadum in the East Krachi District pointed derisive fingers at the divorcee.

Again, Arikim, whether intentionally or otherwise, threatened to do the same to his friend's second wife, whether he liked it or not.

This time, the friend, Salifu Tsrikpe, 27, could not contain it. He murdered Arikim on a farm and scornfully left the body to rot, while he travelled about 50 kilometres away from the scene.

According to Chief Superintendent William Akpese, the Hohoe Divisional Police Commander, the suspect was identified by a group of traders, led by Messrs David Daaso and Michael Asanyo, who spotted him loitering on the streets of Hohoe.

When he was arrested and handed over to the police, Salifu confessed to the crime before Chief Supt Akpese and pleaded for forgiveness.

" Salifu said he had been happily married to Ms Akua Abdulai, with whom he had a boy in Togo, until they decided to move to Adumadum with his friend Arikim four years ago to work as farm labourers.

He said as friends, they stayed together, but while he was away on the farm, Akua Abdulai informed him that Arikim had raped her three times and that she had bitten him at the back.

The act, which became an open secret, brought some enmity between the two friends, leading to Salifu divorcing his wife Akua in Togo.

On his return, he married a new wife, Lydis Yaa Alpha at Adumadum, with whom he had a three month-old daughter.

Arikim, who could not marry, threatened Salifu that he would have sex with his new wife, whether he liked it or not.

The quarrel was heightened when the two of them went to harvest maize for their landlord, Mr Kofi Asante, on February 1, this year.

It led to a quarrel and Arikim decided to end it all by finishing his friend with a machete.

But Salifu managed to defend himself with a club he picked on the farm.

According to him, after clubbing Arikim to death, he buried him secretly on the farm and went home to inform the wife.

But Lydis, a native of the town, tricked him to take her to see the grave.

Salifu showed the grave to his wife, who in turn reported to the elders, after which Salifu fled the town.

It was only by sheer coincidence that he was found in Hohoe and handed to the police.