'Ritual killing' rescue in Ghana

Police in Ghana are trying to reunite a teenage boy with his family after rescuing him from what they suspect was a ritual killing.
Two men have been given lengthy prison sentences for trying to sell the 16-year-old boy for $20,000 (£10,000).
Police believe he would have been killed for his body parts to be used for witchcraft.
Having rescued the boy, the police have issued a photo of him in order to try to find his relatives.
The photo published by the police shows Akwesi Buabeng staring into the camera looking a little bewildered.
Akwesi is lucky to be alive after two men took him from the Volta region to Sefwi-Asawinso in the west of Ghana and tried to sell him.
The regional crime officer, Dennis Abade, said that after a tip-off, a policeman posed as a potential buyer.
Having been duped by the police, the men - both in their twenties - were arrested, put on trial and are now serving 20-year prison sentences.
Human head
The police suspect Akwesi would have been killed and his body parts used for witchcraft either in the west of Ghana or across the border in Ivory Coast.
Traditional healers are widely consulted in Africa and some people believe the use of body parts for a ritual can bring good luck and protect against disease or misfortune.
Marilyn Amponsah-Annan from the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs said such cases were not common - partly because the police have received training to counter human trafficking.
She said people were also being more vigilant and were asking questions when they felt suspicious.
The police confirm that in the last two months there have been two other cases in the same area of Ghana - one involving the attempted sale of a human head.
In some cases relatives are privy to the crime and so if a child is then rescued it is not always easy to reunite them with their families.

Damn, I remember coming across some guys who had freshly killed someone one night on ELWA road. My brother and I were going to visit some girls who lived down a long dark road. As I turned the car onto the road I hit my high beams and there in front of us was a white pickup with about six men and a bloody body in the back. We quickly hit reverse and got the hell out!

Traveller wrote:

Damn, I remember coming across some guys who had freshly killed someone one night on ELWA road. My brother and I were going to visit some girls who lived down a long dark road. As I turned the car onto the road I hit my high beams and there in front of us was a white pickup with about six men and a bloody body in the back. We quickly hit reverse and got the hell out!

what?? you actually saw "heart men"?
wow!! you the first i know who live to tell the story

We were lucky and the Peuguot 504 got us the hell out of there quick! Funny thing is, we were too scared to report it. Never even told my parents.

Traveller wrote:

We were lucky and the Peuguot 504 got us the hell out of there quick! Funny thing is, we were too scared to report it. Never even told my parents.

wow... what a story. cant imagine you goign through that. scary!!

Traveller wrote:

Damn, I remember coming across some guys who had freshly killed someone one night on ELWA road. My brother and I were going to visit some girls who lived down a long dark road. As I turned the car onto the road I hit my high beams and there in front of us was a white pickup with about six men and a bloody body in the back. We quickly hit reverse and got the hell out!

Oh that is crazy and scary. I don't know what I would have done.

Traveller, that story is really scary. I can't imagine what I would have done in that situation, but you did good by getting out of there ASAP.

LovinLiberia wrote:

Traveller, that story is really scary. I can't imagine what I would have done in that situation, but you did good by getting out of there ASAP.

This was also during the Doe era so we were not taking any chances!

Traveller you were supposed to run them over

candygirl wrote:

Police in Ghana are trying to reunite a teenage boy with his family after rescuing him from what they suspect was a ritual killing.
Two men have been given lengthy prison sentences for trying to sell the 16-year-old boy for $20,000 (£10,000).
Police believe he would have been killed for his body parts to be used for witchcraft.
Having rescued the boy, the police have issued a photo of him in order to try to find his relatives.
The photo published by the police shows Akwesi Buabeng staring into the camera looking a little bewildered.
Akwesi is lucky to be alive after two men took him from the Volta region to Sefwi-Asawinso in the west of Ghana and tried to sell him.
The regional crime officer, Dennis Abade, said that after a tip-off, a policeman posed as a potential buyer.
Having been duped by the police, the men - both in their twenties - were arrested, put on trial and are now serving 20-year prison sentences.
Human head
The police suspect Akwesi would have been killed and his body parts used for witchcraft either in the west of Ghana or across the border in Ivory Coast.
Traditional healers are widely consulted in Africa and some people believe the use of body parts for a ritual can bring good luck and protect against disease or misfortune.
Marilyn Amponsah-Annan from the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs said such cases were not common - partly because the police have received training to counter human trafficking.
She said people were also being more vigilant and were asking questions when they felt suspicious.
The police confirm that in the last two months there have been two other cases in the same area of Ghana - one involving the attempted sale of a human head.
In some cases relatives are privy to the crime and so if a child is then rescued it is not always easy to reunite them with their families.

I'm surprise to hear that this is still going and it has increase from using innocent people heads to serve a chief of a village or town in the next world to a form of business. I remember how scary it used to be when you heard that a chief of a village of town has died. Everyone will have to walk circumspectly and to know when and where to go and when to be back, afraid to be part of the seven heads they usually seek.

Akwesi is a blessed child and not a lucky boy; he has long life to live. Human trafficking has become a major global concern and is affecting many people. The police officer who duped those guys did a brilliant job and whoever set up that program for the police is really good. Those guys needed to spend much more time in prison then those 20 years.

Traveller wrote:

Damn, I remember coming across some guys who had freshly killed someone one night on ELWA road. My brother and I were going to visit some girls who lived down a long dark road. As I turned the car onto the road I hit my high beams and there in front of us was a white pickup with about six men and a bloody body in the back. We quickly hit reverse and got the hell out!

You guys were so blessed to get out safely; I can imagine how scary ELWA used to be during the 80s. You mean guys had your bank down that long dark road ?

It is becoming a menace in Liberia now. Gardnersville is the haven right now.

Wow, that little boy is very lucky that he was rescued. It's terrible that they were planning to use him in that way.