By Murtala Issah
Police in the Northern Region have arrested five suspects in connection with the murder of two persons accused of witchcraft at Zakpalsi in the Mion district of the Northern Region.
The five who are in police custody, are among some twelve suspects identified by the relatives of the victims. It will be recalled that, in May 2023, two persons, Sharu Mohammed (70) and Safura, were lynched by a mob at Zakpalsi who accused the two of witchcraft.
Police in the Northern Region have since been investigating the matter which has led to the arrest of the five on Wednesday night.
A police source told GBC News in Tamale, that, “we are searching for the others and wish to urge residents of the community to help with information on the whereabouts of those on the run.” The five suspects are to be arraigned before court as soon as possible.
Recently, a Tamale High Court sentenced two persons to twelve years each for manslaughter. The two were involved in an attack on a ninety-year-old woman, Akua Denteh who died shortly after being subjected to beatings over witchcraft accusations.
Though belief in witchcraft is widespread across Ghana, it assumes a significant dimension in Northern Ghana, where persons accused of witchcraft, mostly old, vulnerable women, are assaulted and sometimes lynched.
There are some six camps designated as “witches camps” in the Northern and North East regions. The camps serve as safe havens for persons accused of witchcraft, though the status of the inmates remains difficult.
Campaigners have over the years worked to address the issue of witchcraft accusations in Northern Ghana, including calls for disbanding the camps and prosecuting those who accuse others of witchcraft.
Despite these efforts, witchcraft accusations appear to be on the rise. In December 2022, the Project Coordinator for the Presbyterian Church’s Go Home Project, Samson Laar, told GBC News in Gambaga, that, 2022 was the worst year in the history of the camp, which was established in 1908.
