Sunyani High Court sentences two Tijaniyan Muslims to death

A Sunyani High Court, presided over by Mr Baffoe Bonnie on Tuesday sentenced two Tijaniyan Muslims to death by hanging for the murder of two members of the rival Al-Suna sect at Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region.

A seven- member jury returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on Salifu Abubakar 29 and Buhari Kasim 22.

They shot and killed Sudatu Bawa and Dauda Yusifu during a clash between the two sects at Wenchi about three and half years ago.

Prosecuting, Mr Betuuriseech Cab-Bayuo, Chief State Attorney, had told the court that before the incident there was a long standing rift between the two sects and things came to a head on January 6 1998 when they clashed at the cemetery over the burial of two dead members.

The court heard that while the Al-Suna group were digging their grave the Tijaniyan members also arrived with a corpse and claimed that the other sect had no right to bury their dead at the place.

Tijanniyan members therefore went to fill up the grave that the Al-Suna group had dug.

Mr Cab-Bayuo said the Tijaniyans ambushed the Al-Sunas when they were returning to the town and fired into their vehicle injuring some of them.

This incident sparked off more trouble during which Abubakar, the first accused, went and shot Sudatu for failing to disclose the whereabouts of her husband, a leader of the Al-Suna group. Kasim, the second accused also fired at Dauda killing him instantly. Mr William Yaw Oppong represented the accused persons.