The Koforidua Central Police Command has arrested two persons in connection with the death of two revelers during a musketry display at the Obour Tabri Shrine in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, on Friday.
The two, Kwabena Osei, 38, a mechanic and Opanin Kwasi Sarfo, 75, an elder of the shrine, were arrested for questioning on Friday, and have since remained in police custody.
Kwadwo Karikari, 68, Princess Oeku, 7 and a third person, Linda Boateng, were amongst a crowd which thronged the shrine to witness the celebration of the Obour Tabri Yam festival, but Karikari and Oeku – the only child of her parents – met their untimely death when they were hit by stray pellets from a single barrel gun Friday afternoon, leaving Linda Boateng as the only survivor.
The five-day festival, which also marked the 30th anniversary celebration of Komfo Nana Afua Tabri, priestess of the shrine also known as Motia Komfo, had come to an abrupt end as at Saturday when DAILY GUIDE visited the Shrine in the morning.
Chief Superintendent Edward Faakye Kumi, the regional crime officer, confirmed the story to DAILY GUIDE and said at about 4:30 pm Kwabena Osei reported to the central police station that while celebrating the Yam festival at the Obour Tabri Shrine, he inadvertently fired a gun loaded with BB cartridges. In the process, the pellets hit three persons, who were later identified as Kwadwo Karikari, Princess Oeku and Linda Boateng.
The little girl had followed her grandmother to the shrine.
The three were rushed to the Koforidua Central Government Hospital but Karikari and Oeku were pronounced dead on arrival. Their remains have since been deposited at the hospital awaiting autopsy.
Linda Boateng, who had the last two fingers on her right hand almost blown off, was referred to the St. Joseph’s Hospital where she was admitted to the X-ray department and is currently in a stable condition.
Eyewitnesses have told DAILY GUIDE that Kwabena Osei had fired a first shot but the second one failed. He therefore tried to reload the single barrel gun while standing on a staircase, facing the gathering.
In the process of lifting the gun, he lost control and unconsciously fired into the crowd, hitting the three in the process.
A source said the celebrant took no immediate action to stop the blood from oozing but continued with the rituals until such a time that they deemed fit, stressing the incident was not a mystery but a clear human error.
The police hinted that the two may be taken to court today.
By Daily Guide
