Kafaba: Five arrested over lynching of 90-yr-old remanded

The Bole District Court presided over by His Worship Andrew Prince Cudjoe has remanded the five suspects arrested by the Savannah Regional Police Command over the lynching of 90-year-old Akua Denteh for three weeks. The five – Haruna Aness, 34, Issifa Tanko, 35, Shaibu Muntala, 29, Sulemana Ali, 35, and Issifa Zakyibo, 32 – were charged with conspiracy and murder. The case, which was first under investigation at the Salaga District Police Command, was moved to the Savannah Regional Police Command. Prosecutor Chief Inspector Abdulai Awini prayed the court for three weeks to enable him probe further into the case. The Court granted his plea and remanded the five suspects into police custody for the next three weeks. They are to reappear on Thursday, August 20. Meanwhile, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Cynthia Mamle Morrison, has given the assurance her ministry will ensure that deceased gets justice. She revealed her ministry is collaborating with the Interior Ministry to ensure the perpetrators of this act are apprehended. The Minister’s first port of call was at the family house of the deceased in Kafaba. The Minister seized the opportunity to console the family. She assured them government through her ministry and the Interior Ministry have been collaborating to ensure the perpetrators don’t get away with the crime. “I have been in touch with the Interior Minister and all the relevant state institutions to ensure the perpetrators are apprehended” She presented bags of rice, oil and an undisclosed amount of money to the family. The minister then traveled to Kafaba where the incident happened. She met the chief of the area, Seidu Yahaya, elders and the youth of the community. She condemned the act and called on the chief and his people to cooperate with police in their investigation. On his part, Seidu Yahaya, who spoke in Gonja, appealed to the Minister for a police post in the area. He attributed the unfortunate incident to lack of a police post in the Kafaba community. Late Akua Denteh with 16 others were abused by a spiritualist, who was invited into the committee by the youth to help identify witches who were allegedly ‘holding’ back the development of the area. Sixteen of the women who admitted to the accusations out of the torture were left to go. Akua Denteh insisted she was not a witch and was severely tortured till she died. Her family has since been calling for justice By Christopher Amoako|3news.com|Savannah Region|Ghana]]>