Popular Ghanaian fetish priest and independent parliamentary candidate for Offinso North constituency in the Ashanti region Kwaku Bonsam has been reportedly sentenced by the Asantehemaa, Nana Ama Konadu’s traditional court.
He reportedly admitted guilt to the offence of invoking the deities of the land against another, an act reported to have been banned by Manhyia, the seat of the Golden Kingdom.
According to Ghanaweb.com, after accepting his plea on Tuesday, the chiefs took turns to scold the Akomadan-Afrancho-based fetish priest, for his action, describing it as an affront to Asante tradition.
He was then sentenced to a series of fines, running into several thousands of Ghana cedis and a full-blown sheep with horns to pacify the gods and also reverse the curse.
The traditional court reportedly warned him never to repeat the offence, saying but for his status, his sanction would have been worse.
While Kwaku Bonsam appeared in person for the hearing, Mr. Ntim was represented by party executives, who had a power of attorney letter to represent the MP due to his tight schedules.
The fetish priest was summoned to appear before the court to answer for invoking the deities against any electorate who do not reside in the constituency but decides to vote for Mr. Ntim, who doubles as a Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.
His action followed alleged bussing of outsiders to the constituency to be registered and also transfer their votes, in a bid to favour the incumbent MP’s chances of winning the election again.
In other to put fear in the electorate to avoid doing the alleged illegal bidding of Mr. Ntim, the fetish priest invoked the spirits of the deities, but it has landed him in trouble.
Since a ban was placed on such acts in the Ashanti Kingdom, whoever violates it is summoned to appear before the Asantehemaa’s traditional court to answer questions and possibly face sanctions, reports say.
It is in line with this tradition that Kwaku Bonsam was summoned to appear before the traditional court.
The Offinso North seat has been won by the New Patriotic Party since 1992, and Kwaku Bonsam is confident the time to break the monopoly has come.
