DAILY GUIDE has gathered that the church service last Sunday at the Wesley Methodist Church in Sekondi, Western Region, had to end abruptly when news reached the members that a leading member of the church, Solomon Ebo Sam, had been killed by an armed robber in the Eastern Region.

Solomon Ebo Sam, Chief Executive Officer of Global Designs in Takoradi and staunch Methodist, was allegedly shot dead by a suspected armed robber at Eyiaba Lodge – a popular hotel located between Akyem Oda and Akyem Swedru.?The deceased had attended the wedding of his son at Akyem Awisa on Saturday and had lodged at the hotel after the wedding when the unfortunate incident occurred.

The robber was said to have attacked and wounded the former headmaster of the Nkawkaw Senior High School, Ampofo Owusu Twum, who was also lodging at the hotel.

Mr. Twum, who denied report that he was at the area on GES assignment, is now receiving treatment at Osiem for the gunshot wound.

According to sources, some of the church members were dumfounded while others broke into uncontrollable tears when the sad news was announced to the congregation in the course of the service.

A source at the church told DAILY GUIDE that the late Ebo Sam, a leading member of the Men’s Ministry of the Wesley Methodist Church, was admired by most the members because of his benevolence.

According to reports, the unidentified gunman attacked the newly wedded couple at the same hotel and robbed them of their belongings, including their wedding rings, mobile phones and money.

The receptionist claimed that she heard someone knocking at the sliding door of the lodge around 2:00 am on that fateful day and thought the knocking was by the night security man and so she opened the door.

She said as soon as she opened the door, the robber, who was armed with a gun and a machete, flashed a torchlight in her face, tied her mouth with a piece of rag and forced her to lead him to the rooms being occupied by the guests.

Panic-stricken, she said she had no other alternative than to lead the criminal to the first room where Mr. Twum was lodging, and the gunman robbed him of Ghc500 and four mobile phones before shooting him in the leg.

According to the receptionist, the robber continued to another room where Mr. Sam was lodging. “After collecting all the money Mr. Sam had on him and his phones, the robber shot him in the head at close range,” she disclosed.

The robber then allegedly forced the receptionist into an empty room, forced her to undress and raped her, after collecting the Ghc2,490 she had in her custody.

She claimed that by the time the police arrived the robber had fled with his booty.

The night watchman, who was found later on the compound of the hotel with both hands tied with a rope, was later rushed to the hospital for treatment.