Chinese gambler shoots two compatriots dead, critically injures another

A disagreement among Chinese nationals at a gambling table at China-Town, Wassa-Akropong in the Wassa Amenfi East District of the Western Region, has cost two lives while another is in critical condition.

An eyewitness told Graphic Online that the gambling Chinese nationals had disagreed on rules governing the game, resulting in a heated argument.

During the confusion, one of them who is yet to be identified and suspected to be the gunman, stormed out and returned shortly thereafter to spray bullets towards his compatriots, and sped off in a vehicle to an unknown destination.

When the melee died down, three Chinese nations were discovered to have fallen, with the police pronouncing two dead at the scene and the third critically injured.

Wu Fang Ging, 35, is on admission at the regional hospital at Sekondi and the police describe his condition as critical, while the bodies of Wing Wenkang, 35 and Lu Silim, 54, have been deposited at the Wassa-Akropong Government Hospital morgue.

The incident is said to have happened at about 8:30pm in front of the Philips Guest House and Chinese Casino at Wassa-Akropong, said to be a popular joint for the Chinese especially at weekends.

The police arrested 29 Chinese who were said to have been present at the scene. None of them however, could tell the police what happened and the whereabouts of the assailant.

A police search in the rooms of four others – three ladies and a man yielded weapons said to be without permits. The four: Joan Hai, Chong Gang Jiang, Shi Ya Fang and Hua Cusong, were placed in police custody at the Western Regional Police Command in Sekondi.

Police account
The Western Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ms Olivia Ewuraabena Adiku told Graphic Online that late Saturday night; some Chinese nationals were seen in an argument, which later resulted in a fight in front of the Philips Guest House and a casino at Wassa-Akropong.

She said due to the language barrier, Ghanaian onlookers and workers of the facility did not understand or intervene but later saw one of those in the argument walking away.

She said moments later, the Chinese man who left in anger returned to the hotel premises with a concealed weapon and opened fire on them, killing two instantly and injuring the other before speeding off to an unknown destination.

She said due to the difficulty in identifying who exactly carried out the shooting and his motive, “the police arrested all occupants of the guesthouse who were Chinese nationals.”

Immigration to confirm
On the 29 arrested, she said the police are collaborating with the regional command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) to establish the residential status of all.

At the immigration she said, officials would be able to establish the residential status of all 29 and if they were really at the addressed provided immigration on the arrival in the country.

She however explained that the four found with the weapons were not connected to the shooting and that the one who actually did the shooting had bolted and the police were searching for him.