The 90-year-old Madam Akua Denteh was lynched on Thursday, July 23, 2020 at Kafaba in the East Gonja Municipality

Sorcerer who masterminded lynching of 90-year-old woman at Kafaba arrested

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Aug - 04 - 2020 , 09:16 2 minutes read

The sorcerer said to have masterminded the lynching of the 90-year-old woman, Akua Denteh at Kafaba near Salaga in the Savannah Region has been arrested by the police.

Identified as Sherina Mohammed, alias Alhajia and aged 40, she was arrested at her hide-out at Yeji on Monday night [August 3, 2020].

She is currently in police custody.

She is the one who is said to have pronounced the 90-year-old Madam Akua Denteh as a witch and allegedly ordered the lynching.

The 90-year-old Madam Akua Denteh was lynched on Thursday, July 23, 2020 at Kafaba in the East Gonja Municipality on an accusation of being a witch.

She had been accused of using her witchcraft to work against allowing rain to fall in the area.

This was because, the sorcerer Sherina Mohammed had said so.

Based on that the old woman was subjected to severe beatings until she became unconscious and died.

After the incident and when the police moved in to effect an arrest of the perpetrators, they fled the area into various hideouts.

The issue of witchcraft allegations, especially against old women are widespread in the northern part of Ghana.

Following the earlier arrest of the Chief of Kafaba and subsequent granting of bail, more suspects on the police wanted list have been arrested in connection with the lynching.

One of the main actors in the lynching and allegedly spearheaded the lynching by whipping the 90-year-old woman has been arrested.

She has been identified as Latifah Bumaye, 33, a granddaughter of the deceased.

She was arrested at Kejewu Bator, a fishing community near Salaga, the capital of the East Gonja Municipality.

She has since been put before court and remanded into custody whilst police investigations continue.

In her caution statement to the police, however, she said she was possessed and was unconscious of her actions.

She accused the sorcerer of working to put her in that state and ordered her to lead in the beatings.

Other accused persons Haruna Aness, 34, Issufa Tanko 35, Shaibu Muntala 29, Sulemana Ali, 35, and Issifa Zakyibo, 32 have all been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and have been remanded into custody.