Due to a mob attack by enraged teenagers in the town, two young men at Tiza in the Jirapa municipality in the Upper West region are in severe condition. They had stolen four goats.
The youth defend their actions by claiming that many police reports have had no effect and that the attack on the two is intended to act as a deterrence and put an end to the ongoing theft of goats and other ruminants in the Tiza village, which has grown to be a serious security risk for the locals. The two alleged thieves were given harsh beatings and forced to carry their loot in front of traders at the Tiza market. It was quite a sight to witness.
A few minutes later, the accused were surrounded and led through the Tiza township while some of the younger people cried out for their lynching.
The suspected robbers begged for pity and water to relieve their hunger as the beatings intensified, but they were turned down. One of the youth leaders described the event to Channel One News, stating that the Tiza village had experienced many episodes of goat theft until some kids happened to spot the two young men getting ready to murder the goats in a nearby bush.
He said that once the incident was brought to their attention, a team was sent to arrest the two, but when they got there, the accused thieves tried to flee but were caught together with the goats and sent to the community.
He said that once the incident was brought to their attention, a team was sent to arrest the two, but when they got there, the accused thieves tried to flee but were caught together with the goats and sent to the community. According to one of the Tizza mob assault culprits, the practice is part of their cultural norms to deter theft and other criminal activity in the neighbourhood.
Sidik Ubaidu, the regional director of the commission on human rights and administrative justice for the Upper West, commented on the situation and warned the young people to refrain from engaging in any kind of mob attack and to report any suspected offenders to the authorities.