Pokukrom chief allegedly kills himself over debt
The chief of Pokukrom, a suburb of Abuakwa near Kumasi, has shot himself dead over what relatives linked to a GH¢50,000 debt owed a woman.
Advertisement
Police at Abuakwa said they found the remains of the deceased, Nana Owusu Sekyere, 63, in his bedroom at about 5.30a.m. with the single barreled gun which he allegedly used to kill himself beside the body.
A daughter of the deceased, who gave her name only as Juliet, said family members in the house were awoken by the sound of a gun and rushed to the room to see the chief lying in a pool of blood.
She said the police were quickly called in from the Abuakwa District Police Station.
The deceased lived in his own house with his wife and children.
Confirming the incident, the Abuakwa District Crime officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP ) Mr Jeremiah Alare, told the Daily Graphic that, " The chief shot himself in the stomach and died instantly."
He added: " We don't suspect any foul play."
According to him, information police gathered from family members indicated that the deceased owed a woman GH¢50,000 and the case was before the police at Sofoline.
Mr Alare said last Wednesday, the widow of the chief managed to mobilise GH¢5,000 for the deceased to defray part of the debt.
Unfortunately, while they were asleep, the chief decided to end it all by killing himself.
The crime officer said no suicide note was left behind but there was every evidence to believe that the chief took his own life.
His remains has been deposited at the morgue at Toase Hospital while the gun used in the act was in the possession of the police.
