ASANTE AKROPONG: A 48-year-old mason, Robert Benjamin Okyere, has been remanded into prison custody by the Asante Akropong Circuit Court for allegedly attempting to set fire to his family and property in Tanoso, part of the Kwadaso Municipality. Okyere, who pleaded not guilty to charges of causing harm and damage, is scheduled to reappear before the court on November 7, under the supervision of Judge Nana Adwoa Serwaa Dua-Adonteng. According to Ghana News Agency, Police Chief Inspector Ruth Gborson, the prosecutor in the case, explained that the complainant, Agnes Obour, a tailor in Tanoso and Okyere's girlfriend, initiated the complaint. The incident traces back to earlier in the year when Obour requested financial assistance from Okyere to rent separate accommodations for their two grown children, citing that they could no longer share a single room. Okyere refused the request, leading to a quarrel that resulted in him moving out to live with another woman in Asuoyeboa, a nearby community. On September 28 , Obour approached Okyere again, seeking financial support for their children. The encounter reportedly escalated, with Okyere assaulting Obour and using derogatory language. Despite a report being filed with the Abuakwa police, Okyere did not respond to their summons and instead went into hiding. The prosecution detailed that on October 5, Obour noticed the smell of petrol and smoke while she was in her room praying. Upon investigation, she discovered Okyere attempting to set the room on fire. Obour and her children managed to escape, although they sustained injuries that required treatment at the Abuakwa Government Hospital. Following these events, Okyere was apprehended by police. While he denied the charges in his caution statement, ongoing investigations led to his formal arraignment in court.