Fear and tension have gripped parts of the Penyi Traditional Area in Ketu North of the Volta Region, following a land and family dispute involving alleged spiritual practices, prompting an official investigation by the Duamenefa Foundation.
The petition was brought before the Foundation by Mr Freeman Mensah Avlorvi, who claimed that a charm buried on disputed land directly in front of his residence has placed his life in danger. According to the petitioner, the discovery of the charm caused serious concern for his safety, leading him to seek urgent intervention.
The individual accused of burying the charm, Fiator Kwaku Atsiekpi, admitted to the act but stated that it was done in response to an earlier charm allegedly buried on the same land. Fiator, who is the stool father of Torgbiga Dadzie V, Paramount Chief of the Penyi Traditional Area, explained that the action was a collective family decision arising from a long-standing land dispute within the Adovor family.
Fiator alleged that the initial charm was buried by the petitioner’s mother, Madam Danoxe Amedoda, amid disagreements over ownership and control of family land. While acknowledging that Madam Amedoda is a member of the Adovor family, he maintained that under customary family practice, she lacks the authority to sell or control family land, as lineage rights are traditionally traced through male descendants.
He further alleged that Madam Amedoda sold between 30 and 40 plots of family land without the consent of the family. According to him, when questioned, she claimed the land had been leased to her but was unable to provide documentation when requested for verification or reimbursement.
Fiator also claimed that after the family instructed her to stop further land sales, a series of deaths among family members allegedly occurred. Concerned, the family sought spiritual consultation, during which a soothsayer from Betome allegedly revealed that a ritual involving a goat and the names of family members had been performed and buried on the land.
Several attempts were reportedly made to resolve the dispute internally, including mediation before Mr. C. K. Aduse at Adusekorpe. The matter was later arbitrated by Torgbui Dadzie V, but these efforts did not yield a lasting resolution.
As tensions continued, the family reportedly announced that Madam Amedoda should cease all land sales and directed individuals who had already purchased land to submit their documents for proper endorsement, emphasizing that family land transactions require collective approval.
Following further spiritual consultations, the family stated they were advised to bury another charm to neutralize the alleged effects of the first one. Fiator explained that this action resulted in the charm now being cited by the petitioner as a threat to his life.
Due to growing fear and the unresolved nature of the dispute, the matter was formally petitioned to the Duamenefa Foundation, which has confirmed that it has contacted all parties involved and commenced an independent investigation.
Describing the situation as a developing matter, the Foundation has urged the public to remain calm and patient as investigations continue. It assured that all inquiries will be conducted thoroughly, with the aim of safeguarding lives and restoring peace within the family and the wider community.
By Hutor Dziwornu
Fafaa 100.3 FM, Dzodze