The trial of seven people, including two women, who allegedly participated in the gruesome lynching of a 90-year-old woman over claims of witchcraft, could not be heard yesterday in Tamale in the Northern Region.
The case was transferred from the Bole District Magistrate Court in the Savannah Region to the Tamale High Court, but there was no show because the counsel for the accused persons did not show up.
The ringleader, Sherina Mohammed aka Hajia Filipina, 40 and Latifah Bumaye, 25, a trader believed to be an associate of the ringleader, are still in custody while five men, namely Haruna Anass, 34; Issahaka Tanko, 35; Shaibu Murtala, 29; Sulemana Ali, 35, and Issahaka Sachebu, 32 are on bail.
The lawyer for the two ladies, Abass Amankwa, wrote to the court presided over by Justice Richard Kogyapwah, to ask for an adjournment due to his late engagement in the case.
According to him, his clients did not engage him on time and for that matter he needed time to study the case, which was subsequently set for October 26.
Salia Abdul-Quddus, Chief State Attorney, who led the prosecution, indicated that the state is ready with its witnesses to commence the trial.
DAILY GUIDE learnt that the trial of the two ladies will be separated from the other five men who were not in court yesterday and whose case are still under investigation.
The ladies, it was learnt, will go on trial by jury and have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and trial by ordeal.
The gruesome lynching of Akua Denteh occurred at Kafaba, near Salaga in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, thereby sparking national outrage.
From Eric Kombat, Tamale