A spiritualist in his early 20s, identified as Horlali Alatusa, has been arrested in connection with the suspected murder of an unidentified woman believed to be his girlfriend at Bentum in the Awutu Senya District of the Central Region.
The suspect was arrested after a farmer lodged a complaint about a strong, foul smell emanating from his farmland.
According to residents, some community members escorted the suspect to the farm on Tuesday, March 10, after suspecting he had buried the woman there. However, after digging a trench the suspect had previously dug, they were unable to locate the body.
The residents subsequently reported the matter to the police after noticing clots of blood at the site.
Following further interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to the crime and led police officers to the location where he had hidden the body.
The remains of the unidentified woman were discovered mutilated, with several parts of the body missing.
Some members of the community believe the killing may have been ritual-related, noting that the suspect is known in the area to have inherited his father’s deities.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to Citi News said the woman was last seen with the suspect in the community on Sunday. Her subsequent disappearance raised suspicions among residents.
Angry residents, following the discovery of the body, reportedly demolished the suspect’s residence.
Police have since conveyed the remains while the suspect remains in custody assisting with investigations.
In a separate but similar incident last week, a newborn baby was found dead in a nearby community with some body parts removed.
The chief of the community, Nai Bentum, has appealed to the police to intensify security operations in the area.
“We have all become terrified over these incidents and would like to call on the police to step up their operations here. We also appeal to the authorities to provide streetlights, particularly along the main road that leads to Krodua, to improve visibility,” he told Citi News.
