Yenboka Kenna, a mother of four, was accused of being a witch and was subsequently lynched on 29th of May, at the Pelungu market in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5Peev5K49PGHRvMwpdT3JsNt8vaJ9LXA”]Five suspects, namely Gbambil Sore, Kofi Pale, Mba Sore, Timbila Sore and Samuel Sore, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder and murder.

The suspects were arraigned before the Bolgatanga magistrate court on the 13th of June 2017, but Gbambil sore was granted bail by the Bolga high court on health grounds, while the four were remanded. But the chief, Naab Sore, who was also a suspect at the time was attending a programme in Geneva Switzerland, and thus could not appear in court.

Upon arrival from Geneva, Naab Sore was arraigned before the Bolga magistrate court together  with the five other suspects on the second hearing of the case.

Counsel for Naab Sore, Rockson Akugri, argued that, where the deceased was lynched was far beyond the chief’s palace and thus the chief could not detect the lynching of the deceased nor be part of the murder.

He added that, Naab Sore is innocent until evidence adduced sufficiently and proven beyond reasonable doubt says otherwise. He thus prayed the court to bail his client.

The Magistrate court presided over by His Worship Osman Abdul-Hakin, granted Naab Sore bail of GHC10,000.00 with two sureties.

However Gbambil Sore continues to serve his bail granted by the Bolga high court while the remaining four accused suspects remain in police custody.

The case has thus been adjourned to 12th July 2017.

Brief facts of the case

According to the prosecutor, Inspector Gilbert Boteng Addea, “The deceased, Yenboka Kenna, a widow of four children on Sunday 28th May, 2017, closed from Church and went to the Pelungu market to transact business at a shed where she plaits hair for living; but around 5:00pm, she was accused of being a witch, and was escorted to the Pelungu chief’s palace where she was interrogated by the chief and his elders.”

He added that, “in the course of interrogation, words went around the village and attracted a huge crowd at the chief’s palace, so two brothers of the deceased were informed about the incident and reported at the chief’s palace.

The chief interrogated the deceased for over 4 hours, and asked the brothers of the deceased to take her home; but they pleaded with the chief to allow the deceased pass the night at the palace because of the behavior of the irate crowd, who were bent on attacking the deceased.”

But the chief said his palace was not a witch camp, and thus released the deceased to her brothers to take her home.

But they were confronted by the irate crowd, and could not save the deceased. The woman was found dead the following day with multiple injuries on the head and deep cuts on both legs.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Pelungu lynching: Chief granted GHc10,000 bail appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The suspects will be screened at an identification parade later today [Sunday], to ascertain the actual killers.

The 63 were picked up in a swoop on Saturday at Pelungu and Tindongo, and are currently in the custody of the police.

Yenboka Kenna, age 67, was accused of witchcraft by some residents of the area, and was sent to the Chief of Pelungu Naab Sobil Sore (IV) who later discharged her of not being guilty.

But she was subsequently lynched on the night of Sunday, 28th May 2017, at the Pelungu market by some irate persons in the area.

Speaking to Citi News, Bolgatanga Municipal Police Commander, Superintendent Samuel Punobyin, said, ”We conducted a swoop in Pelungu market where the deceased was lynched and the surrounding houses and have arrested 63 male suspects including a lady who are being held for investigations. We conducted this swoop based on intelligence because we were told the lynching of the deceased was done by people living in the area.”

“…So the suspects will be screened on Sunday morning and so we are hoping that the witnesses who were also at the chief’s palace  before the killing of the deceased will identify those who brought the deceased to the palace, those who demanded she should be released to them; and those who lynched the deceased for prosecution. But for suspects who will not be fingered by the witnesses will be released on bail.”

Mr. Punobyin reiterated the commitment of the police to get all perpetrators involved in the lynching to face the law.

He also denied allegations by the Member of Parliament for Nabdam Dr. Mark Nawaane, that a postmortem was never conducted on the deceased before her burial.

“When police went to the scene at Pelungu market to pick the body of the deceased, she was sent to the Bolga regional hospital mortuary for postmortem before the body was handed over to the deceased family for burial,” Mr. Punobyin stated.

Meanwhile, sources at the Pelungu chief palace have indicated that, the Chief of Pelungu Naab Sierig Sore Sobil (IV), is currently in Geneva attending the International Labour Organization (ILO) conference and will report himself to the police upon arrival to his community.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post 63 suspects rounded up over lynching of alleged ‘witch’ appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.