Four Arrested for Lynching Elderly Woman Over Witchcraft Accusation in Bunkpurugu

In a deeply disturbing incident in the North East Region of Ghana, four men have been arrested in connection with the brutal killing of a 70-year-old woman accused of witchcraft in Sangbana, a farming community in the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District.

The victim, identified as Noab Bilatukin, was reportedly lynched on July 10, 2025, by a group of individuals who believed she was casting spells in the area. Following the attack, the perpetrators fled the scene.

According to DSP Robert Anabiik Anmain, Public Relations Officer of the North East Regional Police Command, the suspects, Suuk Jakwa (67), Banyiwoo Ntookwib (32), Moapya Kwayaja (30), and Amos Nlaji (29), were apprehended at different locations around Bunkpurugu on July 14 after police intelligence led to their hideouts.

“They are currently in custody and assisting police with further investigations,” DSP Anmain confirmed.

Police believe the arrested individuals conspired with others still at large to carry out the fatal attack, and efforts are underway to apprehend all remaining suspects.

The Regional Police Command has strongly condemned the incident and emphasized its determination to ensure justice is served.

“We want to make it clear that such acts of mob injustice and witchcraft accusations will not be tolerated,” DSP Anmain stressed. “Anyone found culpable will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

This tragic event underscores a broader challenge in parts of Ghana where elderly women are sometimes targeted with unfounded accusations of witchcraft, often leading to violent outcomes.

Authorities are appealing to the public to avoid taking the law into their own hands and to report suspicions through the appropriate legal channels instead.

Read the statement below: