TRIAL BY ORDEAL — THREE IN TROUBLE, ONE ON THE RUN (PAGE 30)

From Benjamin Xornam Glover,
Bolgatanga

The Bolgatanga Magistrate’s Court has remanded two persons, Adongo Tandem, 47, and Huriyia, 42, who allegedly subjected a 70-year-old woman to an unlawful trial by ordeal and threat of death in police custody.
A third accused person, Tandem Aboatsu, 90, was however granted court bail due to his age.
The pleas of the three were not taken and they will appear again on May 12, 2008.
The Upper East Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Ebenezer Tetteh, who disclosed this to The Mirror at Bolgatanga, said the victim, one Ayipoka Garito, 70, lives with her husband, Yama Tandem, at Namorantin in the Talensi/Nabdam District.
He said in December, 2007 one Akos Tandem, a relative of Yama, had an accident and was admitted at a health centre in the district. She, however, died later in February this year.
He said the accused persons, all farmers and related to Yama, opted to consult an oracle at a village called Zorkor in the Bongo District.
According to Inspector Tetteh, at the shrine, the priest allegedly told them that Madam Ayipoka was a witch and responsible for Akos' death.
The Inspector said the three later came for Ayipoka and sent her to the shrine. While there, the fetish priest gave Ayipoka a concoction to drink and forced her to confess that she killed the deceased.
"After drinking the concoction she became weak and under duress, confessed that she was a witch and responsible for the death of Akos", Inspector Tetteh said.
Before that, the victim, her brother, one Adoh Atia, and her brother's wife had been banished from Namorantin and according to the police, they are now living with a relative at Zebilla in the Bawku West District.
Inspector Tetteh said not pleased with the situation, Mr Atia led his sister to lodge a complaint at the Bolgatanga office of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service and the three were arrested.
He added that after investigation they were arraigned and charged with the offence of unlawful trial by ordeal and threat of death.
He said currently the fetish priest was being sought by the police to assist in investigations.