Farmer allegedly murders herdsman

Tuobodom (B/A), July 23, GNA - A 43-year-old farmer, Tingani Dagarti, from Congo near Grulumpe in the Kintampo district, who allegedly murdered a herdsman and removed his heart, testicles and penis has been remanded by the Tuobodom community tribunal and committed to stand trial at the Sunyani High Court.

He is said to have removed the parts of the deceased, Amadu Gauli, to perform a ritual to prevent his ghost from hunting him after the murder. Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Asafo Adjei, said following bush burning at Grulumpe a couple of months ago, the deceased had nowhere to graze his cattle so he approached the chief of Chiranda for help.

Chief Inspector Adjei said he was permitted to graze his cattle on a piece of land between Chiranda and the neighbouring village of Kunsu. He told the tribunal chaired by Mr Richard Ahugyakpa that on February 20 this year, another herdsman, Dongo, went to graze his cattle.

To the amazement of Dongo, he saw the herd of Gauli grazing unaccompanied. According to the prosecutor, after a fruitless search for Gauli, Dongo formed a search party with other residents and informed the police about the situation.

Chief Inspector Adjei said a member of the search party accidentally fell into a pit on the farm of the accused in which human parts namely a heart, testicles and penis were found. He said when the police was informed, they conducted further their own search and found the parts without the body.

Chief Inspector Adjei said following a tip off, the accused Tingani Dagarti was arrested on February 23, this year at Yapari in the Atebubu district.

He said upon interrogations, Dagarti confessed killing Gauli after he ignored a warning not to allow his cattle to graze on his farm. Chief Inspector Adjei said Dagarti later led the police to a spot on his farm where the decomposed body of Gauli was exhumed.

He said the accused admitted that he removed the parts and burnt them to "purify'' himself so that he would not be haunted by the ghost of the deceased.