Woman burns husband, brother-in-law

Lawrence Nkem - in critical condition

A 38-year-old woman, Comfort Agboloshie, has been arrested by the Tema Regional Police Command for allegedly setting her husband ablaze.

Lawrence Nkem, 45, a Nigerian and husband of the suspect, was burnt severely when his wife allegedly set fire to items of clothing soaked in kerosene and threw them into the room where Lawrence was sleeping and locked the door.

The victim, however, survived the ordeal but is currently in a coma and on admission at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

The victim's brother, Benjamin Oyem, 42, who was also sleeping in the same room, however, died in the course of the burns.

The Public Relations Officer of the Tema Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ms Juliana Obeng, who confirmed the incident to the Daily Graphic, said it occurred in a house at Ashaiman Lebanon Zone Two on Thursday, November 17, 2016.

Children evacuated

According to ASP Obeng, the suspect, before carrying out the act, allegedly took her three children, all females and aged four, seven and nine, from the room in which they were sleeping with their father and their uncle.

One of the victims on admission

She said neighbours who saw the fire managed to rescue the two brothers who had sustained severe degrees of burns and quickly rushed them to the Tema General Hospital.

According to her, Benjamin was being transferred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment when he died on the way.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the Tema General Hospital mortuary.

ASP Obeng indicated that the suspect, on hearing that her brother-in-law had died, collapsed but had since been resuscitated.