GPRTU official, 50, commits suicide

The Local Chairman of the Dodowa branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) Ruben Kwame Teye, has been found dead.

Apparently, Ruben could not contain the pressure from some union members who had deposited various sums of money with him for new cars.

The deceased, 50, was found well dressed with rope around his neck hanging from a mango tree in his compound at 3:30am on Thursday, minutes after he had informed his family he was leaving for work.

A search on him revealed a piece of paper in his pockets with the sum of GH¢36,000 written on it, the name of one Wilberforce and a note for the family to listen to a tape recording on his mobile phone.

The head of family, Nene Okukvubour Teye Kwesi Agyemang V, who described the deceased as a quiet person told the Ghanaian Times that the family is yet to come to terms with the unfortunate incident.

He said that the deceased had not confided in him about any personal or financial problem and that he got to know that the deceased entered into an agreement last year with Driverco, a company that supplies vehicles on hire purchase, in 2011.

He said the deceased, as a GPRTU chairman sold the idea of Driverco to members of his outfit some of whom made deposits ranging from GH¢1,500 to GH¢3,000 with the understanding that after 10 per cent deposit, the vehicle would be delivered.

Nene Agyemang said one Wilberforce who was the intermediary, usually came for the deposits paid by the drivers.

He stated that almost a year after paying the deposits, nothing was heard from the said Wilberforce, while the agitated depositors started pressurising him for their monies including threats on his mobile phone.

The family head said what baffled them most was his failure to confide in any family member but rather kept the issue to himself.

Nene Agyemang indicated that the children became suspicious of his behaviour and started monitoring him only for them to be outwitted on Thursday at 2:30am when he told them that he was going to work only to be found hanging on a mango tree on the compound.

He said the family later listened to the recorded conversation on the mobile which is in Dangme dialect and have directed the deceased's son to transcribe it into English language to aid police investigation.**