Koforidua woman jailed 12 years over acid attack that killed partner

A High Court in Koforidua has sentenced 25-year-old Vera Asare to 12 years in prison with hard labour after an acid attack on her boyfriend ended in his death.

The sentence was handed down on Thursday, 26 March 2026, after the court rejected an earlier plea-bargain recommendation that proposed a 10-year term.

The judge had previously signalled dissatisfaction with that suggested sentence, indicating that it did not adequately reflect the gravity of the offence. Even after prosecutors returned to court with a negative pregnancy test result, as earlier directed, sentencing was again delayed while the court insisted that the proposed punishment be reviewed upward in line with the law.

Asare had admitted to manslaughter on 2 March under a plea agreement reached between the Office of the Attorney General, the family of the deceased and her defence team.

The case stems from an attack on Daniel Omane, a mobile phone dealer in Koforidua known as Anelka, who suffered extensive burns after acid was allegedly poured on him while he slept in his room on 29 November 2024.

He was first taken to Adweso Clinic, then transferred to the Eastern Regional Hospital, and later moved to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for specialist care. Despite months of treatment, he died on 15 July 2025 from complications related to the injuries.

Before his death, Asare had initially been remanded in custody but was later granted bail to care for the couple’s child. After Omane died, she was rearrested and the case proceeded on a manslaughter charge.

Investigators said the two had been in a relationship for eight years and shared a three-year-old daughter. The prosecution told the court that the relationship had been marked by repeated disputes and suspicions of infidelity. It was alleged that Asare often confronted women she believed were showing interest in Omane.

Because of the continuing tensions, prosecutors said Vera’s mother advised the deceased to secure separate accommodation for her and the child in an attempt to reduce friction. He is said to have followed that advice.

According to the prosecution’s version of events, Omane was asleep when Asare allegedly attacked him with a substance later confirmed by the Ghana Standards Authority to be acid. His cries for help reportedly drew the attention of his landlord, who rushed him for emergency treatment.

An autopsy later concluded that Omane died from complications arising from the acid burns, forming the basis for the manslaughter charge that ended in Asare’s conviction and 12-year sentence.