Pastor Kills Wife

Pastor Houkpe Archill Yao with the wife 
The Kasoa District police have apprehended a 41-year-old pastor of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) – Old Times Assembly – for allegedly killing his wife.

The suspect, Pastor Houkpe Archill Yao, purportedly committed the act at their Rock City residence on July 25, 2015, after an alleged misunderstanding between them.

Houkpe Archill allegedly took the children to his hometown in Togo before reporting himself to the Amasaman police yesterday.

The Kasoa police, who launched a search for him, went for the suspect from the Amasaman police to assist in investigations.

The body of the deceased, identified as Rita Kweve, 37 – a Sunday school teacher of the church – was discovered by a neighbor in their rented single room apartment around 7am the following day with blood oozing from the mouth and the nose.

Eyewitness account indicated that the ICGC pastor had lived with the woman for the past nine years and that they have two children, even though the customary rites had not been performed. There is a boy and a girl between them.

The witness said three months ago, the couple had a misunderstanding and that compelled the woman to pack out of the pastor's house to an unknown destination together with the children.

After waiting several months without the wife returning, Pastor Houkpe Archill called Rita on phone to return to the house.

Madam Rita then returned to the house on July 25, 2015 and was seen packing her belongings into the room by some neighbours.

On July 26, 2015, around 7am, the neighbour, who said she heard of the woman's return, visited the house but knocked at the door several times without any response.

After that the neighbour said she tried to peep through the window to see if anybody was in the house but she found Rita still in bed while the door was locked.

After calling her name several times without any response, the friend called other neighbours to the scene.

Pastor Houkpe Archill Yao’s children
They also tried to open the door but to no avail and reported the matter to the Kasoa police.

Confirming the story to DAILY GUIDE, the Kasoa District Crime Officer, DSP Samuel Naa Musah, said when police received the information and went to the scene, they managed to break the door to the room open and found the deceased lying on the bed with blood coming out of her mouth and nose.

The body was picked and sent to the police hospital for preservation and autopsy.

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey
( [email protected] )