Bawku (U/E) March 17, GNA - A group of people on Thursday night vandalised 30 tombstones at the Bawku Islamic cemetery to enable the deceased persons to go to Heaven.

A visiting Islamic scholar from Niger was alleged to have precipitated this action by the youth when he addressed them on Thursday evening after "Isha", the 5th Islamic daily prayers. He was alleged to have said that the souls of those lying in tombstones would not go to Heaven since the tombstones have taken captive of their souls.

An eyewitness Alhaji Abdulai, who resides some few metres away from the cemetery, told the GNA that at about 2200 hours, while he was sitting in his compound for freah air, he saw some youth holding some implements heading towards the cemetery. He said he initially thought that they were going to prepare a grave for a departed soul but soon realised some moments later that they were breaking tombstones.

He said when they refused to heed to his call to stop, he became afraid and entered his room only to see the cemetery desecrated the following morning. No corpse was exhumed. No arrest had also been made.