A quiet farming community in the Ekumfi District of the Central Region has been thrown into a state of shock and grief following the gruesome killing of a local charcoal producer, Kweku Blankson, allegedly at the hands of his wife.

The suspect, identified as Auntie Esi, 40, is reported to have attacked her husband with a sharpened cutlass on Wednesday, following a protracted dispute over the finances of their joint charcoal business.

Adom News' Central Regional Correspondent Kofi Adjei reported that the couple, who are well known in the community as both farmers and charcoal producers, had reportedly been at loggerheads.

Information gathered revealed that the friction began when Auntie Esi accused Mr Blankson of a lack of transparency regarding the proceeds from their latest batch of charcoal.

Reports suggest the wife alleged that her husband had pocketed a majority of the money after the sale, leading to a heated verbal confrontation. Eyewitnesses within the neighbourhood indicated that the argument escalated into a physical altercation, during which the husband allegedly assaulted the wife.

While many believed the dust had settled after the initial fight, the situation took a lethal turn while Mr Blankson was asleep. Isaac Panyin Mensah, a resident of Ekumfi Asaman who witnessed the aftermath, provided a harrowing account of the incident.

“While the man was asleep yesterday, the woman went to their kitchen, took the husband’s sharpened cutlass, and started butchering the husband while he was asleep,” Mr Mensah narrated.

The victim, caught unaware in his sleep, sustained multiple deep lacerations. His cries for help eventually drew the attention of neighbours, who rushed to the scene to find him in a pool of blood.

In a desperate bid to save his life, Mr Blankson was first rushed to the Mankessim Hospital. However, due to the severity of the wounds and the significant loss of blood, he was quickly referred to the Winneba Trauma and Specialist Hospital.

Tragically, the intervention came too late. Medical authorities at the Winneba facility pronounced him dead upon arrival.

The body of Kweku Blankson has been deposited at the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.