Police have arrested one Sherina Mohammed, 40, who is alleged to be the brain behind the lynching of 90-year-old Akua Denteh at Kafaba in the Savannah Region.
A post on the Ghana Police Service’s Facebook page said the suspect was picked up from her hideout at Yeji on Monday night [August 3, 2020].
The suspect, who is also known as Alhajia is currently in police custody.
“Sherina Mohammed alias Alhajia, aged 40 and being the sorcerer who masterminded the lynching of 90-year-old Madam Akua Denteh, at Kafaba has been arrested at her hide-out at Yeji last night. She is in Police custody,” the Police posted on Facebook.
The arrest of Sherina Mohammed brings to seven, the total number of people who have been arrested in connection with the incident.
These are five men and two women.
They include the Chief of Kafaba, Seidu Zackaria Yahaya who has since been granted bail, five persons who are said to have invited and accommodated the priestess, and one woman who was seen in the viral video abusing the deceased.
Akua Denteh, about two weeks ago, was tortured and killed after she was accused of being a witch by a supposed priestess brought into the community to allegedly cleanse it.
The matter has generated nationwide condemnation with calls on the police to ensure that all those culpable are made to face the law.
The five persons have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
They are however currently on remand in police custody after making their first appearance in court on Thursday, July 30, 2020.
Meanwhile, a pressure group, OcccupyGhana is calling for the arrest and prosecution of all persons who gathered and looked on as the 90-year-old Akua Denteh was being lynched.
According to the group, the bystanders did nothing to stop the crime from being committed hence are guilty of a misdemeanour.
“Indeed, each of the persons captured on the video as being present is guilty of the misdemeanour of being present when the crime was taking place, under section 316 of the Act. For not taking any step to prevent the crime, all those persons are guilty of a second misdemeanour under section 22 of the Act.”
“We therefore call for the arrest everyone who is identified as being present. Faced with the prospect of jail, they are very likely to help identify and track all the perpetrators in the murder,” it said.
