A grave digger and a mason have been sentenced to a combined 13 years in prison for unlawfully possessing a human skull.
Abdul Razak Mohammed, a 49-year-old grave digger at Awudome Cemetery, received an eight-year sentence, while Alex Frimpong, a 24-year-old mason, was handed five years.
The Dansoman Circuit Court convicted the duo after they pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful use of human parts.
Prosecutors revealed that Frimpong had purchased the skull from Mohammed for GHC600, allegedly for rituals intended to boost his masonry business.
The transaction was uncovered on October 25, 2024, when a police patrol stopped Frimpong near Odorgonno Secondary School and discovered the skull in his backpack.
Frimpong implicated Mohammed as his supplier, leading to his arrest. Investigations revealed that the skull was intended for rituals prescribed by a fetish priest, Nana Attah, who allegedly ordered the item.
Although Mohammed and Frimpong admitted their roles, Nana Attah pleaded not guilty and is currently facing trial. Prosecutors noted that the human skull was preserved at the police mortuary as part of the ongoing investigation.
The case has drawn public attention to illegal practices surrounding the use of human remains and their implications for law enforcement and spiritual activities in Ghana.