2 Escape lynching over rituals

Two people escaped death by a whisker after a mob tried to lynch them over suspicion of indulging in human rituals in an uncompleted building at Naheneso near Esereso in Kumasi on Thursday.

The vehicle in which the two men drove to the community purportedly to perform rituals was set on fire by the charged crowd amid the singing of war songs.

The timely intervention of scores of heavily armed policemen proved vital as it contributed immensely to saving the lives of the hapless-looking men, who suffered bruises all over their bodies following the sound beatings they received.

There have been reports of ritual murders at Naheneso and nearby communities in recent times, and the townsfolk suspected the two men of having a hand in the killings; hence the attack.

The two men, who looked very weak at the time they were rescued, are said to have been placed in a medical facility where they are receiving treatment under heavy police protection to avert further attacks on them.

Sources at the scene said there has been tension in the community lately following reported cases of ritual murders in which some children were killed and some of their body parts were taken away.

These shocking deaths were said to have angered the community members, notably the youth, who have been on the lookout in order to apprehend the culprits of the dastardly acts so as to help stop the deaths.

Kofi Asante, an eyewitness, told the paper that in recent times the people in the area have realised that some strange men usually drive into the town and enter an uncompleted building to perform some rituals.

The community members suspected that these strange men could be behind the upsurge in reported cases of ritual murders in the town and started monitoring their movements in the town closely.

On Thursday morning the two men went to the town in a car and went straight to the uncompleted building, where they reportedly started performing some rituals.

The charged people in the town, in unison, stormed the uncompleted building and bundled the two men, who had in their possession strange voodoo items and substance believed to be human blood.

The crowd instantly set the vehicle of the two men on fire and started beating them with metals, sticks and stones among other things. Sources said about four policemen rushed to the scene but they were overpowered by the mob so police reinforcement had to be called in to rescue the two men and restore law and order.