Police holds four for banishing Togolese

Hohoe, May 11, GNA- Togbe Kofi Nuamesi, Chief of Akpafu-Sokpo in the Hohoe district and four accomplices are being held by the Hohoe Police for banishing a Togolese, Mahamadu Inua from his village on suspicion of using juju powers to kill some inhabitants.

They are Joseph Gbadagbi, chief linguist, Gilbert Tokori, Abdul Karim and Alhassan Adam, all farmers.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr Kwabena Antwi-Boasiako, Hohoe Police Commander, who briefed the Ghana News Agency said Togbe Nuamesi, in consultation with his elders banished Inua and his wife from Sokpo on the allegation being leveled by Abdul Karim Mohamed that he (Inua) according to an oracle, was responsible for the death and sickness of his daughter and wife respectively, and others in the village recently.

He said, at the arbitration Inua's wife, under coercion and threat of being lynched, admitted they were responsible for the deaths and were subsequently asked to pacify the land and the gods by providing a ram, two bottles schnapps and a keg of palm wine, to which they reluctantly obliged.

Mr Antwi-Boasiako said Inua and wife were afterwards banished from the village, leaving behind property including farms and a house at Sokpo. The DSP said the Assemblyman of the area who opposed the decision of the Chief and elders invited Inua back to the village on May 1, this year, insisting that it was outlawfull to banish anybody in or from the country.

He said on May 4, however, Inua's building was demolished by irate youths and an amount of 10 million cedis could not be accounted for. Meanwhile, the suspects would be put before court as soon as Police investigations in the matter were concluded. 11 May 07