THE GHANAIAN CHRONICLE

The Chronicle carries a story on its front page about a series of killings in the Tamale township resulting in 16 deaths. Under the headline: "Lynchingmania - 16 killed", the Chronicle says lynching has become so common in Tamale that some of the inhabitants think it is lawful and just to resort to it whenever the need arises. The paper says once a person is caught attempting to steal, or is found in suspicious circumstances, all it takes is for someone to shout 'thief! 'thief! and the alleged thief is lynched with alacrity. It says in another instance, if someone dies in so-called mysterious circumstances in a house in which an old woman lives who is perceived to have the characteristics of a witch, no amount of denial or plea of innocence from her could save her from being lynched. The Chronicle says between April 1995 and July 1996, more than 16 alleged thieves and witches have been lynched in Tamale and its environs. GRI