‘My son was all I had’ – Bereaved mother demands justice

A mother has been left distraught following the death of her nine-year-old son during a festival at Awutu Bereku in the Central Region.

The boy was hit by a stray bullet and died on the spot, while two others were left in critical condition on Monday, August 31, 2021.

“I want the suspect to pay for what he did because my son was all I had. Oh! They have killed my son,” Hannah Aidoo poured her heart out.

He is believed to have been shot by traditional authorities carrying out rituals to purify the community ahead of the Awutu Awubia festival when the gunshot was heard.

The deceased was reportedly pushing his brother, who has a mobility disability, in a wheelchair when the incident occurred.

The mother of the deceased wants the culprit brought to book and gun control tightened in the region.

She was of the view that firing of guns during festivals were needless.

“The use of guns in the community is becoming too much. Look at what has happened now,” she lamented.

Aside from the bereaved mother, some residents in shock attributed the unfortunate incident to negligence on the side of the gun-wielding men.

They had warned the chiefs not to celebrate the festival due to COVID-19, but the chiefs and elders ignored their plea.

Meanwhile, the Awutu Bereku District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Joshua Semanyo, who confirmed the incident on Monday, said the suspect has been arrested.

The body has been deposited at the Winneba Special and Trauma Mortuary for Preservation and autopsy.