Police in the Bunkpurugu Yonyoo District of the North East Region have arrested four individuals in connection with the gruesome murder of a 70-year-old woman who was accused of being a witch.
According to a statement released by the Ghana Police Service on Tuesday, July 15, the suspects fled Sangbana village following the incident but were tracked down and apprehended through coordinated intelligence-led operations at various hideouts.
Police say several other suspects involved in the crime remain on the run, and efforts are underway to bring them to justice.
“The arrested individuals will be arraigned before court upon completion of investigations,” the statement said.
The killing has sparked renewed outrage over the persistent issue of witchcraft accusations and mob justice in parts of rural Ghana, particularly against elderly women.
In a strong caution to the public, the Police urged residents in the North East Region and across the country to refrain from making witchcraft accusations and using such claims as a basis for violence or mob action.
“We remind the public that no one has the right to take the law into their own hands. Anyone found culpable will face the full rigours of the law,” the statement added.
Human rights groups have long campaigned against the abuse of alleged witches, calling on authorities to take swift legal action and intensify public education to end the practice.
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