Fear has gripped the Mpatasie community in the Berekum Municipality of the Bono Region following reports of grave looting in the area.

Residents woke up on Monday, January 13, 2024, to the shocking revelation that about five graves had been looted at the Mpatasie cemetery.

Although the intentions of the suspected grave looters remain unclear, rumors circulating in the area suggest that the crime may be for ritual purposes.

During a visit, Nana Asomah-Kyereh Effah II, the Krontrihene (sub-chief) of the community, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that residents suspect the looters are using human body parts for money rituals, as some vital parts of the exhumed bodies were missing.

Condemning the act, the chief urged residents to remain calm, assuring them that the traditional leaders in the town would conduct thorough and swift investigations to take the necessary action.

He also warned those involved in the crime to stop or face consequences, saying, “The chiefs will also consult the local deity in their investigations.”

Some of the youth, who spoke to the GNA, expressed concern about the growing menace of the get-rich-quick syndrome, popularly known in the area as “sakawa” and internet fraud. They alleged that some of the youth involved in the crime use rituals to influence their unsuspecting targets for money.