Man shoots himself dead after being denied ‘apio’

Residents of Gbane in the Talensi District in the Upper East Region were thrown into a state of shock when a young man shot himself in the head with a locally manufactured pistol because he was refused an alcoholic drink.

The deceased, Jacob Gbamri, aka Lion, aged 29, had earlier gone on a drinking spree in the neighbourhood before returning home drunk.

When he attempted to take in more alcohol from a nearby drinking spot owned by his wife, Ms Akua Yinputa Merit, the latter allegedly refused to serve him.

A few moments later, members of the household heard the sound of a gunshot only to discover that Gbamri, after he was refused the alcoholic drink, picked his pistol and shot himself to death.

Confirmation

The Public Affairs Officer of the Upper East Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr David Fianko-Okyere, who confirmed the story to the Daily Graphic in Bolgatanga yesterday, said the incident occurred on Sunday, January 3, 2021.

He further explained that on Monday, January 4, the police received a distress call from the assembly member for the Gaare Gbane-Tongo Electoral Area that the deceased had shot himself.

The police then proceeded to the deceased's house where they found the body lying in a pool of blood, with gunshot wounds on the right side of his head.

High fever

ASP Fianko-Okyere further revealed that preliminary investigations showed that the deceased was a high fever patient.

He said the body had been released to the family for burial but the pistol that was used for the dastardly act had been retrieved by the police for evidential purposes.