A 92-year-old man from Kalabule in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, who was wrongfully accused of being a wizard, has been rescued by the Ghana Police Service.
The police intervention was crucial in preventing the elderly man from being attacked by local residents who had found him in the bushes near the Densu River.
The confusion arose because of the man’s frail appearance and his inability to communicate effectively.
Some community members, misinterpreting his condition and unusual behavior, speculated that he had fallen from the sky overnight, according to a report by metrotvonline.com. Additionally, the man’s statement about being with another person during the night fueled these suspicions.
The man, identified as John Quaye, had been reported missing by his family the day before his rescue. His relatives, who were relieved to find him, refuted claims that he was a wizard.
They explained that John, a retired cocoa farmer with a home in the suburb, was suffering from dementia due to his advanced age.
This incident follows a recent case in which nine individuals, including a lecturer and pastors, were remanded by the Bongo District Court on August 7, 2024, for allegedly accusing and mistreating a 61-year-old woman of witchcraft.
