Family Of ‘Burnt’ Old Lady Seeks Speedy Justice

Madam Ama Hemmah the 72-year-old woman who died a day after suffering severe burns when persons now being held as suspects falsely accused her of witchcraft and set her ablaze at Community One, Tema in November last year, has been buried at her hometown, Ajumako Assasan in the Central Region. Her burial followed a memorial service at the Ajumako Christ the King Anglican Church. Wailing mourners of the mother of three – family, friends and sympathizers – were bitter at the calamity and want state prosecutors to speed the prosecution of suspects arrested after the heinous crime. Joy News’ Richard Kojo Nyarko reports that the mourners who shed uncontrollable tears, rained curses on the perpetrators of the dastardly act. Mr. Stephen Kwame Ofosu Yeboah, 48, a son of the deceased, described the death as a “shock to the whole family” and pointed out that since the issue is a crime, the family can only look to the state for justice. He emphasized however; “…but we want to see the prosecution of those accused people.” The aged woman was said to have set off from her village to Nungua, a suburb of Accra in search of her son, Ofosu Yeboah, however she fell asleep in the bus and ended up in Tema as the bus came to the end of its journey. Stranded and without money, the old lady was reported to have unsuccessfully sought alms to enable her return to the village, however some residents of Site 7 pounced on her and accused her of being a witch, detained her and tried to force a confession from her. They ended up dousing her in what is suspected to be kerosene and set her ablaze. She died at the Tema General Hospital a day after the ordeal. The police have since arrested and put before court six suspects. They are Samuel Ghunney, 50, a photographer; Emelia Opoku, 37, trader; Samuel Fletcher Sagoe, 55, evangelist; Nancy Nana Ama Akrofie, 46; Hannah Sagoe and Mary Sagoe, 52.