The police prosecutor in the ritual murder case at Kasoa says the two suspects who allegedly killed 10-year-old Ishmael Mensah were inspired after watching a spiritualist on TV.
According to the facts of the case presented by the prosecutor, Inspector Japhet Agyeman, one of the suspects, Felix Nyarko, was moved by the claims of a spiritualist he watched on television on how he could make people instant millionaires.
He discussed it with his friend, Nicholas Kini, the second suspect, who said he also knows another spiritualist in the Volta Region who could help them.
After contacting the spiritualist, they were instructed to provide a human being and an amount of GH¢ 5,000 for rituals to be performed to make them rich.
“For some time now, the 1st accused [Felix Nyarko] has been watching Ghana Television channels which entertain mallams and other spiritualists to promote their prowess in making people instant millionaires. He informed 2nd accused [Nicholas Kini] who advised that there is a certain spiritualist in Volta Region who can do it for them…2nd accused who is not having a phone provided phone number of the said spiritualist to 1st accused who has access to his mother’s phone. After contacting the said spiritualist, she agreed to help if only they can provide a human being and cash sum of GH¢ 5,000 for the rituals,” excerpts from the prosecutor’s fact sheet said.
Per the document, the two suspects initially planned to kidnap the deceased and take a GH¢ 5,000 ransom from his parents to be presented to the spiritualist for the rituals but changed their minds after realizing it was impossible to do that.
The two suspects are currently on remand in police custody and expected to make a second appearance in court on April 20, 2021.
Better regulation needed in media to prevent ritual murder – Bright Appiah
The Executive Director of Child Rights International, Bright Appiah, had expressed concern with the exposure of children to inappropriate content on both traditional and social media following the suspected ritual killing of Ishmael Mensah at Kasoa.
Speaking to Citi News, Bright Appiah, called on the government to properly regulate the media space to prevent unwholesome content that could contribute to such dastardly acts.
“For children to engage in this kind of practice, it shows that, children are being exposed to acts that make them believe that overnight, they can make money,” Mr. Appiah said.
He stressed that adequate policies need to be put in place “so that we can limit the activities of other people, especially the media when it comes to TV for showing adverts that portray people in a certain way in terms of money rituals and other things. It is important for the system to be regulated otherwise, we will continue to see these kinds of acts,” he said.
