Papa Gyabi, a 42-year old landlor at Shama Kumasi in the Shama District of the Western Region is in the grips of the police for allegedly killing his 27-year old girlfriend, whose name was given only as Rita.
The suspect was alleged to have used a hammer to smash the head of the girlfriend, killing her instantly.
The sad incident happened in the early hours of Saturday, April 24, 2021, around 1am.
Reports suggest that there was a brawl between the two, after the boyfriend had accused the lady of something she has not done.
The body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital morgue in Sekondi.
According to residents in the farming community, Papa Gyabi is a popular landlord in the area who already has four children with another woman but the marriage collapsed about four years ago.
It was alleged that the landlord met the new girlfriend, Rita, who resides at Daboase Krobo in the Shama District, a few weeks ago and both agreed to be in a relationship.
On that fateful Saturday, the suspect invited Rita to his place at Shama Kumasi and a few minutes after the lady had arrived, a misunderstanding ensued between them which later led to a brawl.
In the process, Papa Gyabi who had a hammer in his room, pushed Rita backwards, picked the hammer and allegedly smashed the head of the deceased with it, killing her instantly.
According to reports, the entire community was in a state of shock when the news about what the popular landlord had done reached them Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, some of the tenants in the landlord’s house indicated that they heard a noise in the room and wanted to intervene but the room was locked.
Speaking to DGN Online, DSP Olivia Ewurabena Adiku, Head of Public Affairs Unit of the Western Regional Police Command noted that the incident was reported to the police by one Kwabena Aboagye on Saturday at about 5:45am
She said Kwabena Aboagye reported that between 12:10am and 1am on Saturday , he heard a struggle between his landlord Papa Gyabi and his girlfriend Rita in the landlord’s room.
Aboagye narrated that at about 5am he peeped through the window and found the girlfriend lying motionless and suspected that she had been murdered.
DSP Adiku said the Police quickly proceeded to the scene at Shama-Kumasi near Akoromah lodge and found the room of the suspect, Papa Gyabi locked.
“Police peeped through the window and saw the suspect wielding a hammer threatening to harm anyone who dared open the door.
She noted that the Police forced the door open, overpowered the suspect and disarmed him of the hammer”, DSP Adiku added.
She said the body of the deceased was found lying in a pool of blood with the head smashed and multiple deep wounds on the right wrist lying in a prone position wearing a pink blouse over a black skirt.
She said the Regional Crime Scene Management Team was later called to the scene and after processing the scene, the lifeless body of Rita was removed and deposited at the Effia Nkwanta Regional hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.
Shed pointed out that the suspect is in custody while investigations into the case are on-going.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi