Two brothers lynch woman, 75, they accused of being a witch

A Bolgatanga Magistrate Court presided over by Vivian Yamusah has remanded two brothers in prison custody for lynching a 75 year-old woman.

The two accused the woman of being a witch and they believed he to be responsible for the deaths of their grandmother and mother. They are to reappear in court on January 3, 2013.


According to the police, the two brothers, Felix Nwohinyen, 22, and Dok Nwohinyen, 19, were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit murder, contrary to Section 23(1) and 46 of the Criminal Offense Act of Ghana.


They were reported to the police to have lynched the old woman at her residence at Zanlerigu in the Nabdam District on December 12, 2012, following a complaint by a relative of the killers named Abena who said that on the day of the murder, the victim called out to her while she was rushing to the market, but she ignored her.


The two, according the police, had always suspected the deceased of being a witch and had been accusing her of being responsible for the deaths of their grandmother and mother.


The police said the two admitted that after the death of their grandmother, people started pointing fingers at the old lady, calling her a witch, but that they themselves did not take the allegations seriously.

Recently their mother died mysteriously after having a serious quarrel with the deceased over a headscarf. After their mother’s death, they started taking the rumours seriously.


The suspects told the police that they were provoked when on December 12, Abena came home from the market to inform them that the old woman had called to her. The brothers got angry and went to the deceased residence at Zanlerigu, near Pelungu in the Nabdam district and lynched her.


Bolgatanga Municipal Crime Officer Godson Letsyo, who confirmed the story to the Daily Guide, said the old woman’s remains had been deposited at the Bolgatanga Hospital Mortuary awaiting autopsy.


ASP Letsyo stated that no one had the right to beat another person, not even when someone is suspected of being a witch or wizard.


"Police will deal severely with anyone who takes the law into his or her hands. If people believe this issue of witchcraft, they should find a better way of addressing issues that arises out of that. Lynching and beating and banishing are not legal and accepted under the laws of Ghana," he said.