An expelled member of the Hare-Krishna religious group at Medie allegedly stabbed another member to death, following a quarrel over free breakfast on the group’s premises near Amasaman last Saturday.
The suspect, Jake Kweison Essibu, 28, is currently in the custody of the police for allegedly stabbing Kwabena Gabudzi, 33, to death.
When Gabudzi, who was bleeding uncontrollably, was taken to hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival. Another member of the group, Benjamin Ochia, who is said to have tried to prevent Essibu from stabbing Gabudzi, was also stabbed in the right arm.
Ochia has since been treated and discharged from hospital.
Group cleaning Eyewitnesses said they attended their usual morning devotion, which was followed by a clean-up on the group’s premises.
They said Essibu, who had travelled to Nigeria, was expelled by the Nigerian congregation, following a misconduct, and on his return to Ghana he lived with members of the group at Medie.
Members are served three free meals daily and accommodated by the group.
Though all members who live on the same compound are expected to participate in household chores, Essibu is said to have refused to take part in the cleaning activity.
According to the eyewitnesses, the leader of the group in Ghana, Mr Yaw Asante Krobia, was said to have ordered that anyone who did not take part in the cleaning should not be given breakfast, for which reason Essibu was denied breakfast on the day of the incident.
Police informed Confirming the incident to the Daily Graphic, the Adjei Kotoku District Police Commander, Superintendent of Police Mr George Kumah said Mr Krobia and the other leaders told the police that one of their members had stabbed another following a disagreement.
According to Mr Kumah, Mr Krobia told the police that he had instructed Gabudzi, who was in charge of the food, to ensure that all those who failed to take part in the cleaning were not given breakfast that morning.
As a result, he said, Essibu, who was being served with a bowl of rice and vegetables at the time, had his bowl of food taken away from him.
"That did not go down well with the suspect and he confronted the leader of the group over the issue,” he quoted Mr Krobia as saying.
For confronting the leader, Mr Krobia drove Essibu away from the spot where the food was being served.
Suspect armed with knife Unknown to the leaders and members of the group, Essibu, who had been to his room and returned a few minutes later, had armed himself with a knife and when he drew closer to Gabudzi who had finished serving the food, he pulled out the knife.
Ochia tried to stop Essibu and received a cut in the process.
Essibu is said to have pushed Ochia to the ground and then stabbed Gabudzi twice in the chest, after which he fled the scene.
Some members of the group conveyed Gabudzi to the M and D Clinic but he was pronounced dead on arrival.
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