A Togolese Porter engaged to carry relics from some shrines in the Volta Region to Togo became transfixed, dumb and eventually collapsed as she tried to cross the border at Aflao.
An eyewitness, Madam Agbodugbe Afezuke, also a porter, said her colleague, whose name was not readily available, had to be doused with water before she regained consciousness.
The seven wooden carvings with black markings found in her luggage, believed to have been stolen, were sent to the Palace of Togbe Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area.
Traditional Priests and Priestesses in the area have been rushing to the Paramount Chief's Palace to identify the relics.
Madam Rabi Braimah, 49, of Agbozume Zongo, who was named by the porter as having engaged her services, mentioned Emmanuel Kupualor and Divine Agbezudor, all from Agbozume, as those who gave her the relics to sell in Lome for a commission.
Togbe Fiti told journalists that Kupualor claimed ownership of the relics and said one Gariba Salifu convinced him that the relics could fetch 100 dollars each in Lome.
Kupualor said Salifu introduced him to Madam Braimah with whom he struck a deal for the sale of the relics.
Togbe Fiti said the traditional authorities would decide on their next line of action after determining the sources of the relics.
About a month ago Togbe Fiti had disclosed that more than 10 shrines and stool houses in the traditional area have had their religious relics looted in a period of three months.
He said the lucrative trade in traditional relics in Togo was encouraging the phenomenon and blamed middlemen, who in collaboration of with attendants at the shrines loot them.
The situation compelled the traditional authorities to take some measures including the formation of under cover agents, the prohibition of foreigners from entering shrines and maintaining secrecy over appellations of shrines in the area.
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