Two ex-convicts lynched at Jirapa

Two male ex-convicts were lynched yesterday by some irate youth for allegedly stealing motorbikes and ruminants at Jirapa in the Upper West Region last Sunday.

Two others who were nearly lynched but for the quick intervention of the police are on admission at the Wa Regional Hospital.

The deceased have been identified as Ali Gariba and Abass Muntari, while the injured are Conrad Tang and Dodaa Kukura. 

After they had lynched the ex-convicts, the youth burnt the body of Abass.

They also burnt down property belonging to those who managed to escape.

The body of Gariba and the charred remains of Abass have been deposited at the St Joseph’s Catholic Hospital pending further investigations into the case.

Spontaneous reaction

The youth, apparently fed up with the increasing rate of stealing in the area, went round looking for people suspected to be criminals and visited instant justice on them. 

Before embarking on the exercise, the suspects were said to have served notice on the police about their intentions. 

Confirming the incident, the Upper West Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Joy Afagbedzi, said no arrest had been made so far.

Justice delivery system

ASP Afagbedzi explained that the killing of the ex-convicts stemmed from the fact that the people were disillusioned with the justice delivery system in the area.

According to him, one of the ex-convicts, Tang, had recently been sentenced to nine months in prison for stealing by the Jirapa Magistrate’s Court.

Tang appealed against the sentence and it was commuted to a fine which he duly paid. 

Some few days later, he was spotted moving about freely in the town, a development which the people did not understand.

ASP Afagbedzi said the decision did not go down well with the people, who decided to visit instant justice on all suspected criminals and ex-convicts in the town.

Meanwhile, police reinforcement from the Wa  Divisional Headquarters has been deployed to Jirapa to maintain law and order.

The Upper West Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Kwesi Mensah Duku,  condemned the lynching in no uncertain terms and cautioned that all those responsible for the crime would be dealt with according to the law.