Ghanaian professor Kofi Akamani shot dead in US; wife arrested

A Ghanaian academic based in the United States, Dr Kofi Akamani, has been shot dead in Illinois, where he worked as a lecturer at Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale. The 48-year-old was fatally wounded in a shooting reported near Lake Road, between Murphysboro and Carbondale, at about 5 p. m. on Saturday. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said deputies who responded to the scene found Akamani injured, and he was subsequently taken to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, where he was pronounced dead.

Dr Akamani was a professor in SIU Carbondale’s Department of Forestry, where he taught subjects including forest recreation and conservation social science. His death has triggered an investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, which said his 35-year-old wife, Betty Akamani, had been arrested in connection with the incident and was facing multiple charges. Authorities said the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation and cautioned that the case was still in its early stages. The Jackson County Ambulance Service, Jackson County Coroner’s Office and Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office assisted the sheriff’s office with the investigation. No further details have been released by authorities. Dr Akamani’s academic journey began in Ghana at the…