Family of the 90-year-old woman who was lynched in the Savannah Region believes the lack of action by the chief of Kafaba led to the killing of their mother.
Giving an account of what happened on Eyewitness News, the son of the late Akua Denteh, Dominic Mahama Saaka said the chief failed to take any action when they reported the issue to him.
“The chief said he is not the one who brought the witch doctor but if he is failing to provide the perpetrators, then it means he brought them. Because somebody cannot come to your community and be doing something without your knowledge. At least the person will seek your approval or come to greet you. Even if it’s an entertainment show, the chief will be informed. If you’re doing anything in the community, at least the leaders will be informed before you start.”
What happened
Dominic Saaka said that the fetish priestess and her accomplices had raided Akua Denteh’s home two times; the Tuesday and Wednesday before the actual day [Thursday, July 23] on which she was killed.
He said Madam Denteh had denied being a witch the first two times the perpetrators barged into her home.
They smeared her with anointing oil, recited quotes from the Holy Qur’an and hit her during those times but did not find anything that proved she was what she was being accused of.
“They searched inside her room and brought all her belongings out but they didn’t find anything. They put a Qur’an on her forehead so that it will show that she’s a witch. They poured some anointing oil on her nose and mouth. Nothing happened to her, and they left. When they left, my sister called us and we went to the village [her home in Kafaba] and she narrated all that happened to her,” Mr. Saaka narrated.
The family then proceeded to the chief of Kafaba to file a complaint.
According to Mr. Saaka, the chief dismissed the case, saying that the family had nothing to worry about if indeed, the soothsayer and her team found nothing against their mother.
“[The chief said] then we should go and rest. So far as they have used the anointing oil and Qur’an on my mum and they have searched the room and there’s nothing that shows that she’s a witch, then we should go and dress her in white and celebrate.”
The soothsayer and her accomplices still proceeded to Akua Denteh’s home on Thursday, brought her out in the open, a venue close to the chief’s palace according to Dominic, and beat her mercilessly.
When the family went back to the chief to inform him about their mother’s death, Dominic Saaka noted that “the chief said that is the will of God”.