Lightning strike kills 19-year-old in Dodi-Papase

A 19-year-old man, Justice Berina Komla, from the Dodi-Kpomkpa community in the Oti Region, died after he was struck by lightning while working on a farm in Dodi-Papase, located in the Kadjebi District.

According to reports, Justice was uprooting palm trees when the incident occurred on October 17, 2025.

A local traditional leader according to sources said the young man was removing his third palm tree when he was suddenly struck by lightning.

Eyewitnesses described a deafening thunderclap, followed by screams from nearby workers who rushed over to find Justice lying lifeless on the ground.

As of Saturday afternoon, October 18, his body remained at the scene, awaiting traditional rituals before it could be moved in line with local customs, especially in cases suspected to involve spiritual forces.

The traditional leader suggested the lightning strike might not have been a random act of nature.

He claimed that some members of the community believe the thunder god Zakadza may have been invoked.

In local belief systems, particularly in the Volta and Oti regions, Zakadza is a powerful spiritual force believed to deliver justice by striking wrongdoers with lightning when properly invoked.

A delegation has reportedly been sent to consult a spiritualist to confirm whether Justice’s death had a spiritual cause, and to receive instructions on the appropriate purification and burial rites.

Traditionally, in suspected spiritual cases, the body cannot be touched or buried until the proper rituals are performed a precaution meant to protect both the deceased’s family and the broader community.

The mysterious and sudden nature of the death has left the Dodi-Papase community in shock.

While some residents are fearful, others have called for calm and urged the community to wait for guidance from traditional authorities.

Local officials have not yet commented on the incident, and it remains unclear whether the police will launch a formal investigation.