Toronto man sentenced to life for murder of former girlfriend

A Toronto man was sentenced to life in prison Friday after being found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2013 slaying of his ex-girlfriend.

Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah was originally charged with first-degree murder.

He won’t be eligible for parole for 22 years.

Bridget Takyi, a 27-year-old mother of two, was fatally stabbed 25 times then set on fire near Weston Road and Eglinton Avenue West on Jan. 29, 2013.

In court on Friday, the Crown said Owusu-Ansah did not care about the impact this would have on the former couple’s sons, who were three months old and 18 months old at the time of the murder.

In a statement read by the Crown, Takyi’s brother, Frank, said Owusu-Ansah doesn’t know the real feeling of being a father.

Frank said he will make sure the children grow up knowing who their mother was and how much she loved them.

He also said his family may never heal from the damage inflicted by Owusu-Ansah.

Thirty-six days before she was killed, Takyi told police in a taped interview that she feared for life after she was assaulted by her ex-boyfriend.

“Bridget was obviously afraid,” the Crown said.

Abena Darkowah, a family friend of Takyi’s mother, read the victim impact statements from her mother and sister.

Her mother said when anyone met Takyi, the first thing they would notice was her “big, bright, beautiful” smile, adding that her daughter was at her happiest when she was with her sons.

“I asked myself every day as to why she suffered in silence and never reached out for help,” she said. “My poor child suffered alone both in life and in death.”

She said Takyi’s body was found in such a way that she wasn’t able to even bury her daughter “in peace.”

“My daughter was born on a Saturday and her life was taken on a Saturday. Most people look forward to weekends. I dread weekends,” she said.

Takya’s mother said Owusu-Ansah has no remorse.

“He was not born of man but of the devil and I pray you put him where he belongs,” she said.