Some unknown grave looters have attacked the Tsiame Community cemetery in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region, leaving an exhumed corpse exposed, with many of its body parts missing.
The corpse had both its legs, arms, and head missing when it was discovered, leaving residents of the community in a state of fear and panic.
The exhumed corpse was found in a nearby bush a few metres away from the community cemetery on Monday, May 5, at about 0630 hours. Mr Gabriel Klu Gbafa, an eyewitness, who disclosed the information to the Ghana News Agency, said the deceased was buried between two to three months ago.
“We suspected this incident occurred in the evening of Saturday, May 3rd, after a heavy downpour characterised with power outage,” he said.
He said the suspected grave looters might have carried out the act during the blackouts that occurred during the downpour and a close examination of the corpse revealed the missing parts. “This is serious, we’ve never experienced this act in our community before, and we urge the authorities to urgently investigate this incident thoroughly”.
Mr Gbafa explained that the suspects were believed to have exhumed and carried the body to a nearby bush, where they removed the vital parts and left the remains in the bush with its burial clothes scattered around. He said the incident was reported to the Abor Police, who had since launched an investigation into the case to apprehend the perpetrators of the uncultured act.
The Police and the family of the deceased were yet to come to a conclusion on whether to bury the corpse or take it to the morgue as investigations continued. Some other residents of Tsiame, who interacted with the GNA confirmed that it was the first time such a heinous act had been committed in their community and demanded immediate investigations.
They said the abominable act had raised many questions, while others believed the act might have been committed by ritualists and urged the Police to commence investigations into the incident as early as possible, to maintain peace and order in the area.
The residents of Tsiame are also calling on the authorities to take all the necessary steps to ensure residents feel safe and secure
The GNA also gathered that the deceased, Etsa Akorli, who lived and died at Akatsi, some months ago and buried at Tsiame, was the casualty for the unknown looters.
Source: GNA
