Police arrest "Witch Hunters" at Sumpini in the Savannah Region

Police in the Savannah region, have arrested from Sumpini - Damongo, persons who are suspected to be Witch Hunters. 

Zakaria Abdul Karim, 30 years, Shaibu Iddrisu, 35years, Atta Alhassan 57 years, Salugu Isahaku alias Orulanaa aged 45 years and Haruna Jebuni, 58 years who is also the chief of the village have been arrested for attacking a woman (name withheld) in her house, with cutlasses and sticks on suspicion of her being a witch. 

The victim has been assisted to seek health care while the suspects are in custody, awaiting arraignment for Court.

Police hereby cautions that any person(s) who takes the law into their hands would be arrested and dealt with according to law.

Background

The Savannah Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service is investigating an attack on three women on Saturday night by some unknown persons who accused them of being witches.

The attack occurred at Lantekura in the West Gonja District of the Savannah Region.

The incident, according to the police, happened at about 11 pm during the celebration of the annual fire festival.

At least 14 persons are currently standing trial over a similar offence in the same region after lynching 90-year-old Akua Denteh at Kafaba.

That incident generated public uproar resulting in massive calls for such acts to be stopped and also the closure of so-called witches camps.

The acting Savannah Regional Police Public Relations Officer Sergeant Agyekum Owusu, commenting on the recent incident said the command will do all it can to arrest the perpetrators of the act while the victims are currently receiving treatment at the West Gonja district hospital.

“Yesterday around 11 pm, I had a call from the Tamale communication that some three women were being attacked by a group that they are witches so we quickly dispatched policemen there and one of the women was rescued by the team.”

“So it was this morning that I also have other information that a certain village, two women were also attacked making three. The attack was in the night and when the saw the police coming there ran away so we couldn’t make an arrest in the night but the victims have been sent to West Gonja Municipal Hospital for treatment which the police are preparing to get the culprits arrested.”