ICGC member commits suicide

Accra, April 14, GNA - A 53-year old photographer and member of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) Head Office committed suicide on Good Friday morning by hanging himself in one of the auditoriums for the Church's Children Service.

Some members of the Church expressed shock when they saw the man, Victor Acheampong popularly known as 'Kofi Papa' dead because they had engaged him a hearty conversation the previous evening.


According to a source at the Church, 'Kofi Papa' loved to share jokes with the children and had not shown any sign of being unhappy or having any problem that would push him to commit suicide. 'Kofi Papa' was said to be part of a church team that prepared the main church auditorium and surroundings for the Easter programmes of the Church.


Asked whether the action of the man was symbolic in anyway with the Easter festivities, the source said the Church normally organised programmes for members during the period in remembrance of the gift that God gave to Christians by erasing their sins but they did not attend church service on the Good Fridays.


The Ghana News Agency investigations revealed that the body had been deposited at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Mortuary. Meanwhile, a source at the Police Homicide Department at the Police Headquarters told the GNA that the man was alleged to be a caretaker for a house owner, who lived outside the country.

The source said the photographer was alleged to be indebted to the house owner, who had just returned to Ghana, an amount of 40 million cedis.


The Korle-Bu District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Francis Enor, who accompanied the Church Leaders to deposit the body at the mortuary, said 'Kofi Papa' was a resident of James Town and that a search on the body revealed a knife and a quantity of izal, a disinfectant.


ASP Enor said there was no bruise on the body when it was found and that the Police was waiting for an autopsy report from the Hospital.