Farmer arrested over fatal shooting of suspected yam thief in Oti region

Kwabena Badam, a 35-year-old farmer, was arrested following the fatal shooting of a man suspected of attempting to steal yams from a farm at Abongo No. 1 in the Krachi East Municipality of the Oti Region. The incident occurred at about 00:00 hours on Saturday. Preliminary information gathered by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) indicated that the deceased was allegedly caught on the farmer's land while attempting to steal a sack of yams, and the farmer allegedly opened fire, killing the suspect instantly.

Sources told the GNA that the farmer had repeatedly complained about persistent theft of food crops from his farm and had, on several occasions, reported the matter to the police. Shortly after the incident, the farmer voluntarily reported himself to the Dambai Divisional Police Command and informed officers about the shooting. The Assembly Member for the Kwame-Akura East Electoral Area, Philip Kwadwo Bidaba, told the GNA that he received a telephone call in the early hours of Sunday informing him that a suspected yam thief had been shot dead in the community. He said he appealed to the police to allow the body bag to be opened to enable residents and community members to identify the deceased.