A middle-aged man has been shot dead by his friend at Akuapem-Apiredi in the Eastern Region following a confrontation over a Ghc5 debt he owes him.

The deceased whose name was given as Ben, a drinking spot operator, was shot twice on his chest by Kwame Dankwa, a 50-year-old hunter who had confronted him to pay his debt.

Ben was reported to have refused to pay his creditor, a situation which angered Kwame who pulled a locally manufactured gun and shot him.

A resident of the town, Kwabena Ofori told JoyNews, the deceased was pronounced dead on arrival at the Tetteh Quarshie memorial hospital in Akuapem-Mampong.

"Kwame Dankwa went to Ben who operates a drinking spot to collect his Gh₵5 he claimed the man owed him but when he approached him he also failed to pay the money so it turned into a fight and Kwame Dankwa shot him twice. When he was sent to Mampong he was reported dead," he explained.

Meanwhile, the suspect has fled to an unknown location when residents attempted to apprehend him.