Two young men were arrested early Sunday in Charia, a suburb of the Wa municipality, for allegedly attempting to please the local gods without the permission of the land’s landlords, a responsibility traditionally reserved for the landlords themselves. According to a report from Home Radio, the men, identified as Abu Adnan, a driver from Tamale, and Paul, a Ghana Fire Service personnel, were caught at around 10:00 am performing rituals at the ancestral site.
Mr. Thomas, an eyewitness, narrated the incident:
“As at 1:00 am today, we saw two young men named Abu Adnan and Paul at our ancestral gods’ site, performing rituals without seeking permission from the landlords. This breach of tradition and customs has never been done like this before, causing great concern. We arrested and handed them over to the police. During our search, we found cowries, a piece of white cloth, rings, a fork, marijuana, cigarettes, and phone batteries.”
The community is particularly alarmed by reports that the men were allegedly luring children with promises of rides to Wa and treats, amidst the ongoing serial killings plaguing the municipality.
The community has demanded an immediate cleansing of the land and further investigation into the matter. The police are currently holding the suspects as the investigation continues.
