A middle-aged man accused of being a wizard, narrowly escaped death in Nyambong, Oti Region, after being assaulted by residents who believed he used his spiritual powers to kill the chief’s son.
The chief’s son died in a motorbike accident while returning from Shiare, a neighbouring town.
However, the community blamed the man for the unfortunate incident.
According to the assemblyman for the Nyambong Electoral Area, Christian Kwaku Ndenke, the man was forced to admit to using his spiritual powers to kill the chief’s son but he vehemently denied the act.
“The man was compelled to admit to the crime, but he denied it, leading to the attack.”
Subsequently, the situation escalated, and the man fled to the next town.
Police were called to restore calm, but no arrests have been made.
“It’s unfortunate that the community resorted to violence instead of allowing the law to take its course,” Mr. Ndenke said.
The man, identified as John Quaye, was discovered in a bush along the Densu River in the community by some residents a day after he went missing from home.
The residents, who did not know his identity assumed he was a wizard who fell from a nocturnal ‘flight’ into the bush due to his fragile and unkempt appearance.
According to reports, his incoherent answers to their questions and failure to communicate properly further heightened the residents’ suspicion.
However, an attempt to lynch him was thwarted by the timely intervention of the Ghana Police Service.
According to his family, the 92-year-old is a retired cocoa farmer who is suffering from dementia associated with old age.