GHANAIAN PROFESSOR KOFI AKAMANI SHOT DEAD IN US AS WIFE FACES MURDER CHARGES
Ghanaian academic Dr Kofi Akamani has been shot dead in Illinois in the United States, with his wife Betty Akamani charged with two counts of first degree murder. The Southern Illinois University professor was 48.
ILLINOIS, Ghanaian academic and Southern Illinois University professor Dr Kofi Akamani has been shot dead in Illinois, with his wife now facing murder charges in connection with his death.
Akamani, 48, was fatally wounded on Saturday, September 19, following a shooting in Jackson County in southern Illinois.
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to a reported shooting at about 5 p.m. near Lake Road between Murphysboro and Carbondale.
Akamani was transported to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, where he was pronounced dead from injuries sustained in the shooting.
His wife, 35 year old Betty Akamani, was arrested following an investigation.
She has since been charged with two counts of first degree murder and one count of endangering the life or health of a child.
Betty appeared in court on Monday and was ordered to remain in custody. Her next court appearance is scheduled for October 6.
The charges against her remain allegations and have not been proven in court.
Court proceedings have provided additional details about the circumstances prosecutors allege surrounded the shooting.
Prosecutors said Dr Akamani was shot while leaving after a scheduled visit involving the couple's children.
The couple had reportedly been separated and were going through divorce proceedings at the time.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the killing.
Akamani was a professor in the Department of Forestry at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where he had established an academic career focused on natural resources, environmental sustainability and the relationship between communities and forests.
His academic journey began in Ghana.
He studied Development Planning at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology before continuing his education internationally.
Akamani obtained an MPhil from the University of Oslo in Norway before earning a PhD in Natural Resources from the University of Idaho in the United States.
He joined Southern Illinois University in 2011 and was promoted to full professor in 2024.
His work included research involving forest dependent communities in Ghana and the United States, with a particular focus on environmental governance and the resilience of communities facing ecological and climate related challenges.
He also served as director of the agricultural sciences doctoral programme and graduate studies in forestry.
Southern Illinois University's forestry community has paid tribute to Akamani following his death, remembering him as a respected colleague whose work and personality had made an impact on students and fellow academics.
His death has also attracted significant attention in Ghana because of his academic background and connections to the country.
The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is continuing its investigation with assistance from other local authorities.
Further details are expected to emerge as the criminal case moves through the Illinois court system.
Betty Akamani remains accused of the offences and is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until she is found guilty in court.
