Residents of New Suame in Kumasi woke up Tuesday to a tragic story in which a father is alleged to have shot and killed his 16-year-old daughter for engaging in an amorous relationship. All attempts by doctors at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) to save the life of the girl failed, as she gave up the ghost shortly after she had been sent to the health facility. The suspect, Akwasi Poku alias Agya Mensah, has been arrested by the Suame Police to help in their investigations into the tragedy. According to the Suame Police, the incident occurred around 8.30 p.m. on Monday when the loaded single-barrelled gun used by the suspect, who is a member of the community watchdog committee at Suame, went off, hitting the deceased, who was at that time struggling with her father. Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Suame District Divisional Police Crime Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwaku Duah, said the suspect was resident at New Suame and had been a member of the watchdog committee for a long time. He said initial investigations had revealed that the deceased, a pupil of the Suame Methodist Junior High School (JHS), always spent long hours in town and only returned home late in the night. He said on Monday, the suspect left home for an evening church programme and returned later to join his colleagues in their watchdog operations, explaining that the deceased took advantage of Mensah's absence to go out as usual. DSP Duah said while the suspect was on his way to the operational area of the watchdog committee, he met his daughter and her male companion in the dark. According to the Suame Divisional Crime Officer, the deceased took to her heels as soon as she saw her father and her action prompted Mensah to chase her. He said when Mensah caught up with the deceased, he attempted to drag her home but the deceased resisted, resulting in a struggle between the two. DSP Duah stated that it was in the course of the struggle that the gun went off, killing the girl. Source: Daily Graphic/Ghana