Fetish Priest Arrested Over Murder and Dismemberment of Kasoa Trader in Shocking Central Region Case
A 25-year-old fetish priest and herbalist has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service in connection with the gruesome murder of a 40-year-old trader, whose dismembered body was found in a bush at Awutu Bentum in the Central Region.
Victim found in bush after missing report
The deceased, identified as Joyce Akua Ampongmaa, was a trader based at Akweley in Kasoa. Her mutilated body was discovered on March 10, 2026, after the Safohene of Awutu Bentum reported the incident to police.
Officers from the CID, under the Criminal Investigations Department, arrived at the scene and found the body with the head and both legs severed. The remains were later conveyed to the Police Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy, where she was formally identified.
Suspect allegedly known to victim
Investigations revealed that the victim had previously visited the suspect in 2025 for herbal treatment concerning a swollen leg condition. She reportedly returned on March 4, 2026, seeking spiritual protection for her business.
According to Director-General of CID, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, the suspect allegedly lured the victim into a nearby bush under the guise of collecting herbs after consultations at his shrine.
He is said to have attacked her with a cutlass, killed her, and dismembered her body before concealing the remains in different locations.
Confession and recovery of body parts
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to the crime and led investigators to several locations where he had hidden the remains.
Police say he buried the victim’s head at Mafi Avedo in the Volta Region and kept her legs at his residence in Awutu Bentum. He also allegedly dumped other personal items, including destroyed mobile phones, in nearby bushes and a latrine.
Further police operations led to the exhumation of the head at Mafi Avedo, while the legs were retrieved from the suspect’s home. All recovered remains have been sent to the Police Hospital mortuary in Accra for further forensic examination.
The suspect was first arraigned at the Adabraka District Court on March 13, 2026, and has since been remanded into police custody.
Community reaction and ongoing investigation
Police also revealed that angry residents later destroyed the suspect’s shrine and residence, complicating efforts to retrieve additional evidence, including the alleged murder weapon.
Investigations are ongoing as authorities continue to gather evidence to support prosecution.
