Ho, Feb. 9, GNA- The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Police, have freed a number of people being illegally detained amidst the threat of death at some shrines in the Volta Region.

Mr George Quashie Hornuvor, Acting Regional Director of the CHRAJ who disclosed this at Ho, said the Commission was dealing with nine of such trials by ordeal.

Mr Hornuvor was speaking at a sensitisation seminar for Heads of Department in the Ho Municipality, to solicit their cooperation in facilitating the work of the Commission.

He said the practice was illegal since it is impossible to prove the victims guilty of the crimes they have been accused of. He urged human rights advocates in the Region to help stem the practice, which he said was gaining frightening proportions. Mr Hornuvor said if the trend persisted then the Region has no choice but to create a sanctuary for the victims.

During an open forum, the participants blamed the situation on the activities of some charismatic churches, self-professed prophets and fetish priests and priestesses who make their living by preying on the gullibility of people with genuine problems.

They suggested the need for the chiefs, community opinion leaders and the general public to report such flagrant violation of human rights to the law enforcement authorities.