Former Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Sarah Adwoa Safo, has denied claims circulating on social media and other platforms that she was armed or discharged a firearm during the shooting incident that occurred at the residence of her younger brother, Israel Kwadwo Safo, also known as Akofena.
Speaking in a private interaction with journalists while receiving treatment following the incident, the former lawmaker described the allegations as false and misleading, insisting that she neither owns a gun nor has ever used one.
“I don’t own a gun, I didn’t shoot a gun and I will never shoot a gun,” she stated.
According to Ms Safo, she had gone to her brother’s residence solely as a family member and had no intention of causing harm or provoking any confrontation. She explained that she arrived at the property alone and without any security escort because she considered the matter a family issue.
She said she was surprised by what she described as propaganda suggesting that she owned a firearm or had fired shots during the incident.
The former Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister also dismissed reports that she rammed her vehicle into the gate of the residence before the shooting. She challenged journalists and the public to independently verify the condition of her vehicle, which is currently in police custody as part of ongoing investigations.
According to her, apart from bullet holes and damage caused by gunfire, the vehicle bears no signs of having been involved in any collision.
Ms Safo further disclosed that medical examinations conducted after the incident revealed that bullet pellets and shattered glass fragments had lodged dangerously close to her brain, heightening concerns over the severity of her injuries.
The shooting incident occurred on June 21, 2026, at a property linked to Israel Kwadwo Safo in Kwabenya and is believed to be connected to an ongoing dispute over succession and leadership within the Kristo Asafo Mission following the death of its founder, Apostle Professor Kwadwo Safo.
In an earlier statement, the Kwadwo Safo family alleged that Ms Safo had gone to serve a court injunction intended to halt a planned installation ceremony for her brother as leader of the church. The family further claimed that gunshots were fired during the confrontation, resulting in injuries and damage to property.
Following the incident, the Ghana Police Service announced the arrest of Israel Kwadwo Safo and two other suspects to assist with investigations.
According to police, Israel Safo reported himself to the Greater Accra Regional Police Headquarters on June 22 and was later transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters. A search conducted on his vehicle and residence reportedly led to the retrieval of 120 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 50 rounds of .45 calibre ammunition, 25 rounds of .40 calibre ammunition, loaded magazines and two Glock pistols, one of which was registered in his name.
Two other suspects, Nana Kwaku Afriyie and Kwadwo Safo Koomson, were also arrested in connection with the case.
The shooting has heightened public attention on the simmering succession dispute within the Kristo Asafo Mission. While one faction maintains that Israel Safo had been designated by the late founder as his successor, another insists that subsequent directives altered the succession arrangement.
The dispute has sparked legal challenges and competing claims over the leadership of the church and its associated institutions.
Meanwhile, police investigations into the shooting remain ongoing as authorities seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine any criminal liability.