Pastor Dies In A Pulpit

The Dunkwa-on-Offin police in the Central Region have been working hard to unravel the mystery surrounding the sudden death in a pulpit at Dunkwa-On-Offin of 42 year-old Pastor Kwasi Agyare of the Christian Redemption Ministry International, Nsawam on February 14, this year.

A tiny snake about one-and-half feet, which allegedly rolled out of Pastor Agyare’s suit, after his death has fueled the rumour that it was a snake bite which might have killed him. The family is now accusing Pastor Prince Asiedu, a pastor of the same church at Dunkwa-on-Offin of using a ‘spiritual snake’ to kill their beloved ‘son’.

The rumour continued to gain credence when it was established that, the suit Pastor Agyare wore during the service was given to him by his host, Pastor Prince Asiedu who invited him to assist him to launch the crusade in the town.

A reliably family source, who pleaded anonymity, told The Spectator that Pastor Agyare who lives at Tantra Hill in Accra, left Accra for the funeral of his niece at Akrokerri, his home town a fortnight ago. The source said after the funeral, he received a phone call from Pastor Prince Asiedu to come over and assist him to organize a crusade at Dunkwa-on-Offin.

Pastor Akwasi Agyare arrived at Dunkwa-on-Offin on a Monday and joined the crusade as the guest preacher. The source said, while preaching the sermon, at about 9pm, Pastor Agyare collapsed and died instantly, in the pulpit.

When Pastor Agyare was rushed to the Dunkwa-on-Offin government hospital, he was said to have died long before they sent him there. The source said, the doctor on duty recommended that, the matter be reported to the police, because it was a coroner’s enquiry case. The case was consequently reported to the police, while Pastor Akwasi Agyare’s body was deposited in the morgue at Dunkwa-on-Offin.

The source further revealed that, during the one week celebration of Pastor Agyare’s death at Akrokerri, Pastor Prince Asiedu and other church members were chased with machetes and cudgels by the family. Pastor Agyare is survived by his wife, and a one-year-old baby boy.

When the Spectator contacted the Dunkwa-on-Offin Police Commander, Supt. W.O. Larbi on phone last Wednesday, he confirmed the story. He said not until a post mortem report was received by the police, the actual cause of the death could not be ascertained.

He said the docket on the case would be referred to the Attorney-General’s Department in Accra to decide if there is any foul play that caused the death of Pastor Agyare.