Four people have been taken into custody by the North East Regional Police Command in relation to the savage murder of 70-year-old Noab Bilatukin, who was suspected of practicing witchcraft in the agricultural town of Sangbana in the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District.
Suuk Jakwa (67), Banyiwoo Ntookwib (32), Moapya Kwayaja (30), and Amos Nlaji (29), the suspects, allegedly planned to attack and lynch the old woman with the help of other people who are presently at large.
The suspects accused the victim of casting spells in the neighborhood on July 10, 2025, according to DSP Robert Anabiik Anmain, the North East Regional Police Public Relations Officer.
She was allegedly beaten and lynched by them before they ran away.
On July 14, 2025, police detained the suspects at many hiding places in and around Bunkpurugu after receiving reliable intelligence. They are helping with ongoing investigations while being held by the police.
DSP Anmain vehemently denounced the conduct and promised the public that those responsible would be held accountable.
Additionally, he cautioned against the stigmatization of people as witches and mob justice, pointing out that these practices are not only illegal but frequently have disastrous results.
“Witchcraft accusations, especially against older women, remain a disturbing issue in parts of rural Ghana,” he said.
Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have long expressed alarm about the pervasive violence, mistreatment, and even murders of old women in Ghana’s northern areas who are suspected of practicing witchcraft.
Superstition, false knowledge, and deeply held cultural ideas are frequently the causes of these behaviors.
Instead of taking issues into their own hands, authorities continue to advise the public to report suspicions or disagreements to law enforcement.
Source: newsthemegh.com