A 92-year-old man, John Quaye, was miraculously rescued from a mob in the Kalabule suburb of Ngleshie Amanfro on Monday, August 12.
The elderly man, suffering from dementia, had wandered away from his home and was discovered in the bush along the Densu River.
Local residents, alarmed by Quaye’s frail condition and incoherent speech, mistakenly assumed he was a wizard who had fallen from the sky. A dangerous situation unfolded as some community members began to attack the confused old man, fueled by superstition and fear.
Fortunately, the intervention of community leaders prevented a tragedy. They swiftly contacted the Ngleshie Amanfro District Police Command, and a team led by Sergeant Noble Evans Essuman arrived to rescue Quaye.
The elderly man’s family later arrived at the police station, explaining that Quaye was a retired cocoa farmer with a history of dementia. He had gone missing the previous evening and had spent the night lost in the bush.
Quaye’s nephew, Eric Allotey, expressed gratitude to the police and compassionate residents who intervened.
He emphasized the urgent need for public education about dementia and the dangers of stigmatizing the elderly as witches.
