5 More arrested over Kafaba lynching

Following the arrest of the Chief of Kafaba, five more suspects on the police wanted list have been arrested in connection with the lynching of the 90-year-old woman at Kafaba in the East Gonja municipality of the Savannah Region on the accusation that she was a witch.

The police have charged the suspects — Haruna Aness, 34, Issufa Tanko 35, Shaibu Muntala 29, Sulemana Ali, 35, and Issifa Zakyibo, 32 — with conspiracy to commit murder and were currently being processed for court.

According to the Director of the Police Public Affairs, Superintendent Mrs Shiela Abayie-Buckman, the five voluntarily turned themselves in to the Regional Police Command at Damongo Wednesday.

Suspects detained She said they were then arrested and detained after their statements had been taken, adding that they would be put before court after investigations were completed.

Mrs Abayie-Buckman reiterated the appeal by the police to members of the public, especially those who lived in Kafaba and its environs, to provide any information that would lead to the arrest of all suspects in the murder of the 90-year-old woman.

Madam Akua Denteh was pounded mercilessly by her attackers at Kafaba on Thursday, July 23, this year on the accusation that she was witch.

First arrest

The Chief of Kafaba, Kafabawura Seidu Yahaya, was arrested last Tuesday by the Savannah Regional Police Command in connection with the lynching of the woman.

The police said although the chief was to be arraigned Wednesday, they now preferred to merge the charges of all the six suspects and put them before court together.

The police said they were hotly pursuing the remaining suspects, including the traditional priest, Hajia Filina, who declared the deceased old lady a witch, and one Sanjo, the man who hosted Hajia.

Thirteen people were declared wanted in connection with the murder. The suspects are believed to have fled the town soon after the incident and have since not returned. Homicide

The arrest of the chief and the five others follows the sending of homicide experts from the Police Headquarters in Accra to the Savannah Region on the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr James Oppong- Boanuh, to arrest the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

The IGP also announced a GH¢2,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of any of the suspects. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Monday condemned the lynching of Madam Denteh, describing it as barbaric and unfortunate.

The President called on the police to look for the perpetrators and bring them to book, adding that never again should such a dastardly act happen in the country.

Foundation

The Savannah Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Adam Braimah, has also announced that the Regional Coordinating Council (SRCC) had set up a foundation in memory of the late Madam Denteh.

“This is to say clearly to the world that never again should such a thing happen in the history of the newly created Savannah Region,” he stated.

"It is comforting that this unfortunate situation has attracted the attention of the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, who has already sent a delegation to Kafaba to comfort the family of the late Madam Denteh,” he said.