Two ritual murder suspects in Sefwi police custody

The Sefwi Wiawso Police in the Western Region have now taken custody of the two suspects who attempted to murder a 10-year-old Class Three pupil at Sefwi Boako last Wednesday morning for alleged ritual purposes.

The suspects, Kwadwo Agyeman, 24, and Kofi Poku, 22, believed to be brothers, were first arrested by a man known to be a herbalist, with the help of others, and sent to the chief's palace at Asafo, where an irate youth of the town went and demanded that they should be released to them to be lynched, but the traditional authorities refused the request.

The angry youth had insisted that the suspects were responsible for the previous killings in the town by unidentified assailants, hence they should be lynched to serve as a deterrent to others.

Following reports of their arrest earlier, some policemen intervened and made efforts to take them to Sefwi Wiawso but the youth resisted the move until the police brought in reinforcement.

Agitation

The agitation of the youth became violent and led to the vandalisation of two police vehicles, including one belonging to the district commander, while two of the police personnel sustained some degree of injury.

They were treated and discharged at the Sefwi Wiawso Government Hospital.

The schoolgirl, whose identity is being withheld for security reasons, is on admission at the Sefwi Asafo St John’s Hospital for sustaining multiple knife wounds.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Isaac Alex Quainoo, who briefed the Daily Graphic said the little girl, who was in the company of two others, was going to fetch water in a nearby stream when the incident occurred. 

Identification parade

He said the police were waiting for the girl to recover before an identification parade would be mounted for her to identify the suspects.

Chief Superintendent Francis Ennor, in charge of Sefwi Wiawso, explained to the Daily Graphic that the suspects were yet to be charged as there were no complainants yet.