Police arrest two men for offering boy for rituals

Half Assini (W/R), Nov. 7, GNA - Police in Half Assini in the Western Region have arrested two galamsey operators at Amantem near Tarkwa for offering a five-year old boy to be killed for ritual purposes to boost their business.

They are Francis Osafua Kojo, 25 from Menzezor near Aiyinase and Peter Amoah, 32 from Princess Town near Axim who are currently engaging in galamsey activities at Amantem.

The Jomoro District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) John Ferguson Dzineku, briefing the Ghana News Agency on Sunday, said the two galamsey operators claimed that during their activities, each time they were about to hit the gold, it vanishes immediately and they therefore decided to perform a ritual to enable the gold to be stable.

The Police Commander said Kojo and Amoah brought the innocent boy, Nana Yaw, son of Madam Yaa Egya, girl-friend of Kojo, to Adusuazo near Half Assini to be used for the rituals without the knowledge of the boy's mother.

Unfortunately, the one to perform the rituals, whose name is being withheld for security reasons, told Kojo and Amoah that he did not use human beings for his rituals and therefore rejected the boy. DSP Dzineku said the two men decided not send Nana Yaw back home so they resolved to sell him at 3,000.00 Ghana cedis to anyone who was interested.

He said the chief of the town, who was informed of the activities of the two men, decided to buy the boy and after bargaining, issued them with a fake Ghana Commercial Bank cheque for 2,000 Ghana cedis to be cashed at the Takoradi branch and took possession of the boy. DSP Dzineku said while Kojo and Amoah were preparing to leave the town, the chief informed the police who came to arrest them. He said they have been placed in police custody pending further investigations and prosecution while the boy is in the care of a policewoman at the station.