Referee Commits Suicide Over Wife’s Sickness

GHANA- A forty-six-yeat old division one league referee, Samuel Manukure is alleged to have committed suicide by hanging himself at Aponapono, a community near Suhun in the Eastern region.

The cause of the deceased’s action is unclear; however, sources close to the deceased’s family have revealed that the deceased ended his life due to the chronic illness of his wife which has brought hardship and huge debt onto the family.

The deceased left behind, a wife and a child who are currently staying at Amasaman in the Greater Accra region.

Information gathered by a source indicated that the deceased committed the suicide in his room when he visited his family house at Aponoapono.

The deceased’s cousin, Yaw Asiedu, told the source that, the deceased for some time now, appeared to be suffering from depression, but denied such claim when confronted.

He said he suspected that, the chronic illness of the deceased’s wife, which had remained unchanged after visiting several places for cure, may be the main cause of the action.

Narrating the details of the sad news, Mr. Asiedu explained that, the deceased was left alone in the house as he (Asiedu) went to the farm. Upon his return, he decided to wash his dirty clothes, but realized later that the nylon twine used to hang his clothes had been untied and taken away.

He said he decided to ask the deceased who was in his room whether he had knowledge about the twine only to see the deceased hanging with blood flowing through the nostrils.

He then raised an alarm for help, which attracted residents in the area.

The police were informed about the sad incident and after taking inventories; the body was taken to the Suhum Government Hospital.

P.K. Doe, brother to the deceased, however, told the Daily Heritage that he suspects foul play.

According to him, the deceased was the branch chairman of the New Patriotic Party at Aponoapono and had complained about how some individuals in the party had been threatening his life.

He suspects that the deceased was killed by some unknown assailants within the party.

He said: "When the police went to the scene, nothing showed that the deceased could hang himself, because the twine that was used to hang him was not tied by him, if you clearly observe it."

The Suhum Police Crime Officer, Inspector Daniel Dsani, said the body has been deposited at the Suhum Government Hospital morgue, and it will be referred to the Policy Hospital in Accra for autopsy.