General News of Thursday, 23 October 1997

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Lawra Community Tribunal Tries Ritual Murderers

The Lawra Community Tribunal, chaired by Mr.. Peter Galyoni has remanded four persons in prison custody on charges of murdering two men at Lambusie in the Jirapa/Lambusie District in the Upper West Region for ritual purposes. The suspects whose pleas were not taken are Yoffa Kpeme, 22, and Fuseini Sisala alias Kamba Boduong, 45. The rest are the Imam of Nandom, Haruna Abdullai, 68 and his assistant, Issa Musah, 77. They are to reappear before the tribunal on the 5th of next month. Briefing newsmen at Lawra, the Lawra District Commander of Police, DSP Samuel Wodah said while the first and second accused, Yoffa Kpeme and Fuseini Sisala are being held for conspiracy to commit murder and murder, the third and fourth accused have been arrested for abetment of crime. DSP Wodah said on the 9th of this month one of the deceased, Boyuo Kamba, a senior brother of the second accused together with his son were making yam mounds on his farm when all on the back of his head with a club killing him instantly. DSP Wodah said sensing danger, Boyuo Kamba's son fled back to the village and made a report. A search party that was quickly organised found Boyuo Kamba dead in a pool of blood with his stomach cut open and his heart, brain and genitals missing. According to DSP Wodah when the search party combed the area trying to locate the perpetrators of the crime they came across the body of the second deceased person Bouluo a Burkinabe about 400 metres away with the heart, liver and eye balls removed. DSP Wodah said when the first and second accused were arrested they confessed murdering the two men adding that they consulted the Imam and his assistant for fortification. They were also arrested and charged with abetment of crime.

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