One shot dead, another injured in Offinso chieftaincy clash

Tension is brewing with heavy police presence as one person is feared dead and another sustained life-threatening gunshot injury in a chieftaincy dispute in Offinso in the Ashanti region.

The deceased, Kwame Appiagyei, who is believed to be in his early 40s, was stabbed and later shot in the chest after he had allegedly shot one person in an attempt to disperse a crowd at Offinso Akwamuhene’s palace at Asamankama, a suburb of Offinso, in the Ashanti region Thursday afternoon.

The confusion ensued when the royal family attempted to select a successor for the late chief for Asamankama, Nana Asamoah Okyere, who passed on about 3 years ago.

According to an eyewitness and family member who spoke to 3news.com, the family had settled on Osei Bonsu, who was picked from about four names presented by four families within the royal Biretuo family.

But one of the families objected to decision when the Queen Mother announced the successor.

According to reports, a scuffle ensued as the deceased went to his private car, took out a pump action gun and shot one man in the head. Heading for his car and attempting to speed off, he was pounced on by an enraged mob.

They lynched him at the spot and damaged his blue car, the reports said.

The body has since been deposited at St Patrick’s Hospital morgue for autopsy as police are yet to effect any arrest at the time this report was filed.

The injured victim, who is on admission at St Patrick’s Hospital in Offinso, is believed to be among a faction which opposed the queenmother’s announcement at the palace.

3news.com is learning that police are on manhunt for four persons, whose names popped up in the lynching of Kwame Appiagyei.
Security has since been beefed up.