Soldier commits suicide

Private Vincent Ohene-Ntaadu, 24, a soldier with the airborne force at Bawah Barracks in Tamale, was last Saturday morning found hanging on a tree, after he was reported to have committed suicide the previous night for reasons yet to be uncovered.

Information about the cause of the suicide remained sketchy as according to close associates, the soldier was on duty with his superiors at the quarter-guard the previous night of May 10, 2012, but later sought permission to the call of nature, which was accordingly granted.

He, however, failed to turn up till the following morning, causing fear and panic among his colleagues, who wondered why he failed to come back to his duty post before they handed over to the next contingent.

All attempts, including a search party to locate his whereabouts, proved futile with his room was secured under lock and key with no trace of where he might have gone to.

His neighbours insisted he went for night duties and had not returned, but those who were on duty also maintained he came home to ease himself.

Moments later, a colleague, who had gone into the forest within the barracks to also attend to the call of nature, noticed the fully dressed private soldier hanging on a tree. He then raised an alarm to draw the attention of his superiors, who rushed to the scene.

It is believed he had earlier planned the suicide and committed it the previous night, soon after seeking the permission from the officers.

Commanders of the barracks immediately invited the police to the scene, who took the body and deposited it at the Tamale-West hospital morgue.

Police have confirmed the incident to Daily Guide and indicated that investigations were ongoing to establish whether there was any foul play that led him to commit the suicide.