Herbalist Arrested Over Woman’s Murder

The Police at Kodie in the Ashanti Region have arrested a popular herbalist in the area, for allegedly murdering a final year student of the St. Loius Training College in Kumasi.

The suspect, Kwabena Kyeremeh, 40, alias Mallam, was said to have murdered Doris Osei, alias Maame Broni, when she visited his shrine at Nkukua Buoho, near Kodie in the Offinso District, for assistance to cure an ailment in her breast.He went into hiding in the bush but police arrested him at the weekend.

On his arrest, police found fingernail scratches on his face, an indication that the deceased might have struggled with him before she was overpowered.The Graphic gathered that Doris, who had just returned from school on vacation, complained of pains in her breast.

Her junior brother, whose name was given only as Gabriel, offered to assist her to see the herbalist on Republic Day, July 1.Gabriel and Doris left their Tarkwa Maakro residence in Kumasi, to see the herbalist in the morning of Thursday, where he prepared a potion for Doris. Kyeremeh was said to have invited Doris to see him that same day in the afternoon, which she obliged.

Not quite long after Doris had returned to Kyeremeh's shrine, residents in the area allegedly heard her screaming.Kyeremeh took to his heels and went into hiding in the bush when people rushed to the scene.

When the residents entered the shrine, they found Doris with foam on her mouth, so they quickly rushed her to the St. Patrick's Hospital at Offinso, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.Angered by the incident, the residents completely vandalised the shrine.

The body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for autopsy. The Offinso District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr Shaibu Abubakari, confirmed the story when the Graphic contacted him at Offinso.

He explained that Kyeremeh, who went into hiding immediately after the incident, was arrested on Saturday, at a place near Offinso on the Aboaso-Barekese road when vigilant residents of Offinso spotted him in the bush. He said the residents quickly rushed to Offinso to inform the police who moved to effect his arrest.

He said when the police got to the scene Kyeremeh had retreated into the bush so they mobilised the residents in pursuit of him and finally apprehended him in the bush after several hours of search.

He said the residents tried to lynch him as he tried to ward them off with a kitchen knife during his arrest. The district commander stated that the police retrieved a padlock, a kitchen knife, a toy mobile phone and ¢4,000 from Kyeremeh when he was arrested.

He added that when the police visited the shrine they also detected that Kyeremeh had intercropped Indian hemp (wee) with maize.He said investigations were ongoing and the suspect would soon be put before court.

Residents told Graphic that Kyeremeh hailed from Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region and that he had been in the area for about six years administering herbal medicine to people.