Sarah Adwoa Safo and Israel Kwadwo Safo Akofena
Former Dome-Kwabenya Member of Parliament (MP), Sarah Adwoa Safo, is recovering and responding positively to medical treatment after surviving a dramatic shooting incident that has exposed deepening divisions within the Kristo Asafo Mission following the death of its founder, Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday at Kwabenya, has sparked widespread public concern and prompted police investigation into what appears to be an escalating succession dispute within the influential religious organisation.
A statement issued by the Kwadwo Safo family yesterday said the former legislator was in a stable condition despite sustaining injuries during the attack.
“The family wishes to assure members of the Kristo Asafo Mission, relatives, friends, sympathisers, and the public that Hon. Adwoa Safo is currently in a stable condition and responding positively to medical treatment,” the statement noted.
According to the family, the shooting occurred when Madam Safo attempted to serve court documents on her younger brother, Israel Kwadwo Safo Akofena, popularly known as Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena, in connection with ongoing legal proceedings over the leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission.
The family explained that several attempts to serve the injunction papers through conventional means had proved unsuccessful, prompting the former MP to personally deliver the documents.
The incident is the latest chapter in an increasingly bitter struggle over the succession of the late founder of the church and industrial conglomerate.
So far, the Greater Accra Regional Police Command has invited Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena to assist with investigations into the shooting.
The Director of Public Affairs of the Regional Police Command, Superintendent Juliana Obeng, confirmed the invitation, stating that the police would question all persons considered relevant to the investigation.
“The Ghana Police Service has invited Mr. Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena to assist with investigations into a shooting incident,” she said, adding that anyone found culpable would be dealt with according to the law.
She further appealed to the public to avoid speculation and the circulation of unverified information while investigations continue.
Meanwhile, six private security guards arrested in connection with the incident remain in police custody.
During the arrests, police retrieved five pump-action shotguns, a Taurus pistol loaded with seven rounds of 9mm ammunition, an additional magazine containing five rounds, and communication equipment.
As investigations continue, conflicting accounts have emerged regarding how the violence began.
Lawyer for the Kristo Asafo Church, Nana Kofi Kantanka, has alleged that Adwoa Safo fired the first shot during an event organised to introduce the church’s newly appointed leader to the General Council.
Speaking on JoyNews, he claimed the former MP arrived at the venue and attempted to force her way into the premises with her vehicle after being denied entry.
According to him, witnesses initially heard loud bangs which were later found to have been caused by a vehicle crashing into one of the gates.
“We realised that it was Honourable Sarah Adwoa Safo who was in the car. Since she couldn’t penetrate the gate with the car, she moved to the northern gate and repeated the same action,” he said.
Mr. Kantanka further alleged that security personnel at the venue considered the situation a threat to public safety because many people had gathered for the event.
“The information I got was that she fired the first shot and then banged the gate with her car. The private security also knew that the lives of people were at risk, so they were giving warning shots,” he stated.
However, those claims have been strongly rejected by Adwoa Safo’s younger brother, Obed Kwadwo Safo Jnr., who described reports that his sister fired a weapon as false.
In a social media post recounting his version of events, he insisted that the former MP was unarmed when she arrived at the residence of their brother.
“Stop spreading fake news. My sister had no gun and gave no warning shot. When she was shot at the residence, she had to run for her life,” he stated.
Obed said he met his sister at the Atomic Police Station after she fled the scene, adding that she was bleeding heavily when he arrived.
According to him, no firearm was found in her vehicle, which remains at the police station.
He further claimed that the vehicle had been riddled with more than 30 bullet holes.
The shooting has intensified an already volatile succession battle within the Kristo Asafo Mission.
At the centre of the dispute is the question of who should succeed Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka, who passed away earlier this year.
A faction of church leaders and elders have sought to install Israel Kwadwo Safo Akofena as leader of the mission.
However, that move has faced strong opposition from some family members and senior church figures, including Adwoa Safo, who contend that the process violates directives allegedly left by the late founder.
The disagreement has spilled into the courts, where an injunction has been filed to prevent the installation of Israel Kwadwo Safo while legal challenges over constitutional amendments and succession procedures are determined.
Beyond the leadership struggle, disagreements over church property, finances and the future direction of the ministry have fuelled growing tensions among members, with some congregants expressing concern that the institution is drifting away from the values that once united it.
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