Six Arrested After Homicide Detectives Exhume Human Remains from Gblorkope Shrine
The Homicide Unit of the Ghana Police Service has uncovered a chilling ritual murder case in the Volta Region, leading to the arrest of six suspects and the recovery of multiple human remains from a shrine in the Central Tongu District.
The breakthrough follows an intensive investigation into the disappearance of 28-year-old Nelson Anyana, who went missing on December 4, 2024, after leaving home to meet a woman identified as Augustina Fiawoyife. His mother, Comfort Hatse, lodged a missing person’s complaint on December 17, sparking a full-scale search.
According to police reports, investigators worked with three key suspects whose cooperation led them to a shrine in Gblorkope, a community believed to harbour ritualistic activities. At the scene, homicide detectives made a horrifying discovery — the body of Nelson Anyana buried beneath idols inside the shrine. The find confirmed suspicions that the young man had been murdered for ritual purposes.
Further searches revealed three additional human skeletal remains buried under separate idols within the same shrine. Police also uncovered human body parts in nearby bushes, believed to be linked to other victims. The discoveries have raised fears that the Gblorkope shrine may have been used for serial ritual killings over an extended period.
The six suspects arrested in connection with the case have been identified as Augustina Fiawoyife, unemployed; Wisdom Hedidor, herbalist; Courage Bedzo, kente weaver; Gblor Noah, also known as Ekpedzi, a 37-year-old fetish priest; Gblor John, a 38-year-old security guard; and Gblor Johannes, a 27-year-old lotto writer. The last three, who are brothers, are believed to be operators of the shrine.
Investigations indicate that the murder was orchestrated by Wisdom Hedidor, who allegedly acted out of jealousy over Nelson’s relationship with Augustina, his romantic partner. Around the same time, fetish priest Gblor Noah is said to have requested a human body for ritual purposes in exchange for payment. Courage Bedzo allegedly served as the link between the two, agreeing to facilitate the killing.
On December 12, 2024, Augustina allegedly lured Nelson to a secluded area in Adidome, where Hedidor and Bedzo ambushed and strangled him, reportedly in her presence. The body was then sold to Gblor Noah and his associate, Gblor Johannes, for GH¢7,000. It was transported to the shrine, allegedly used in rituals, and buried under one of the idols.
Following the operation, all six suspects were arraigned before the Ho District Court on charges of abetment of crime to wit, murder, and conspiracy to commit crime to wit, murder. Forensic analysis is underway to identify the other remains recovered from the shrine and determine whether more individuals are connected to the case.
The gruesome revelations have provoked outrage and fear among residents of the Central Tongu District, with many demanding swift justice and a wider crackdown on ritual killing networks. The Ghana Police Service has assured the public of its commitment to bringing all perpetrators to justice and dismantling any such criminal operations across the country.
