Catholic Priest Hangs Himself in Kumasi

Rev Fr. Thomas Schwiedessen

Rev Fr. Thomas Schwiedessen a Roman Catholic priest with the Spiritan University College at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region has committed suicide. He was found hanging on a tree at the Spiritual Renewal Centre of the Archdiocese of the Catholic Church at Apire in Kumasi. Rev Fr. Thomas Schwiedessen, a German national with the Society of African Missionaries (SMA) was going through counselling and was scheduled to fly back to Germany for medical check-up. The Suntreso District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Vitus Napen, said
they received information from the director of the Centre that someone had hanged himself on one of the trees at the centre. They rushed to scene,where they identified Rev Fr. Schwiedessen wearing a white top with a pair of black trousers hanging on the tree with a bed sheet around his neck and tied to the upper part of the tree. The body has been sent to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for autopsy. Authorities at the Spiritan University are tight-lipped about the issue. Information gathered indicated that, the deceased who was behaving strangely, was sent to the centre for counseling. He was referred to a psychiatrist at the KATH who attended to him and rescheduled him for a review on a later date.