Wa (Upper West) 11 Feb. '99

The Wa police have arrested a 30-year-old farmer, Samuel Anbanye, for allegedly murdering a 60-year-old woman at Goli, a farming community in the Nadowli District. Galina Pognyuo was said to have been hit several times on the head by the suspect with a pestle, resulting in her death. A statement issued by the Upper West Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Police Inspector Daniel Dorkpoh, said the suspect, who lives at Kaborgo, about three kilometres away from Goli, allegedly visited the village on that day. He was said to have helped some masons undertaking a building project in the village but was later seen hitting the old lady who was sitting alone on a bench with the pestle without any provocation. The woman's screams for help attracted people in the neighbourhood but she was almost dead by the time help came. Inspector Dorkpoh said the suspect was arrested by the youth of the village who later handed him over to the police. Anbanye told the police that he suffers from epilepsy which renders him mentally depressed and attributed his action to the evil spirit of the old lady. The body of the deceased has since been released to the family for burial after an autopsy at the Wa Hospital while the suspect has been remanded in custody until February 18.