The Police in Wassa East District of the Western Region are investigating the circumstances that led to the death of a well-known farmer in the area believed to be in his late 60s.
The deceased, identified only as Abusuapanyin Pharaoh, was found dead in his farm at Wassa Atobiase in the district under some bizarre circumstances last Sunday.
According to some of the residents, the old man left home last Sunday morning, June 13, 2021, for church service in another community.
Some of the residents claimed that after several hours, the old man was not returning home and so some of the community members and his family became alarmed.
Some of the young ones therefore decided to go to the farm to search for the cocoa farmer later in the day. After combing the farm area for some hours, they found the lifeless body of the farmer lying in a supine position under one of the cocoa trees.
They claimed that there were certain indications to suggest that the old man was shot by an unknown assailant. They said gunshot wounds could be seen at his back as his body was lying in the supine position with his wellington boots beside him.
The entire Atobiase community could not believe what had happened and were wondering who might have carried out such a heinous crime by taking away the life of the innocent old man.
The case was later reported to the police who went to the scene to help convey the body to a hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy while police investigations continue.
The Assembly member for the area, John Kamkam confirmed the sad news in an interview and said one person, the sister of the deceased, has been invited by the police to assist in investigations.
According to him, the deceased recently had some confrontation with the sister on the same farmland where he was allegedly shot.
He added that the two have been litigating on who is the rightful owner of the land adding “But it is unknown if his death is connected to that”.
He said the Police have arrested the sister and other family members to assist in investigations
He said up till now, nobody has provided any information about who might have killed the man adding “And we cannot fathom the reason the alleged assailant had for killing the farmer”.
The deceased is said to have left behind two wives and a number of children.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi