Two brothers lynch woman, 75, they accused of being a witch

A Bolgatanga Magistrate Court presided over by Vivian Yamusah, has remanded two brothers in prison custody for lynching a 7S year-old woman.

The two accused the woman of being a witch and responsible for the death of their grandmother and mother. They are to reappear on January 3. 2013.

According to police facts, the two brothers, Nwohinyen Felix, 22, and Nwohinyen Dok, 19, were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit murder, contrary to Section 23{ 1) and 46 of the Criminal Offense Act of Ghana.

They were reported to the police to have lynched the old woman at her residence at Zanlerigu in the Nabdam District on December 12, 2012, following a complaint by their relative called Abena, that the deceased called her while she (Abena) was rushing to the market on that fateful day.

The two, according the police, had always suspected the deceased of being a witch and had been accusing her of being responsible for the death of their grandmother and mother.

The police said the two narrated that after the, death of their grandmother people started pointing fingers at the old lady, calling her a witch, but they (the brothers) did not take it seriously.

Then recently their mother died mysteriously after she had a serious quarrel with the deceased over a head scarf. After the death of their mother, they started taking the allegation against the 75-year-old woman seriously.

The suspects told the police that they were provoked when on December 12, Abena came home from the market to inform them about the old woman's call. Even though Abena refused to attend to the deceased call, the brothers got angry and went to where the deceased lived at Zanlerigu near Pelungu near the Nabdam district and lynched her.

The Bolgatanga Municipal Crime Officer, Godson Letsyo, who confirmed the story to Daily Guide, said the remains of the -old woman had been deposited at the Bolgatanga Hospital Mortuary, awaiting autopsy.

ASP Letsyo stated that no one had the right to beat another person, not even when someone is suspected of being a witch or wizard.

"Police will deal severely with anyone who takes the law into his or her hands. If people believe this issue of witchcraft, they should find a better way of addressing issues that arises out of that.

Lynching and beating and banishing are not legal and accepted under the laws of Ghana," he said.