A 40- year-old farmer who attempted to sell his nephew, aged 10, to a spiritualist for ritual purposes, has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by the Bibiani Circuit Court. Kwame Owusu, also known as John Yia, did not deny the crime.

Police Chief Inspector Lucky Goglomi told the court presided over by Mr. Baptist Kwadwo Filso, that last month, the convict paid a visit to his brother, Kwame Kpedu – the boy’s biological father, at Bosompraso, a cottage near Sefwi-Juaboso.

The convict asked Kpedu to allow him to take the victim to Akomadan in the Offinso North District, where he was staying to continue his education there. The unsuspecting father readily agreed to the request.

Prosecution said Owusu, who had hatched a plan to sell the child, sent the victim to one Mallam Mohammed Alhassan, a spiritualist, and offered him for sale at the price of GHc350,000.00.

The spiritualist feigned interest, made an initial payment of GHc200.00 and asked him to come for the rest the next day.

The prosecution said Mallam Alhassan later informed the police and the accused was arrested together with the boy, as soon as he took the final cheque from Alhassan.