The following information was provided during a 23 August 2000 telephone interview with a Professor of Political Science at London Guildhall University who is a specialist in the religion and politics of sub-Saharan Africa and lived in Ghana from 1985 to 1990. He emphasized that he did no research on ritual killings or human sacrifices and that this was not his area of speciality. However, when asked if he had heard of any stories of either ritual killings or human sacrifices while he lived in Ghana he stated that he had. He stressed though that these accounts were always third or fourth hand and part of Ghana's rumour-mill. He would not say that these events were "known to occur" but rather that they were "assumed to go on" or were "widely held to go on." He stated that either a ritual killing, or a human sacrifice, would be "definitely considered illegal under Ghanaian law." He said this was particularly true of Rawlings' government which he characterized as a "modernizing regime." He said that if such an incident were reported to authorities they would not turn a blind eye, but would investigate and if evidence were found they would take action.

This information was substantially corroborated by a professor of social anthropology with the African Studies Centre at the University of Cambridge whose speciality is applied anthroplogy and development, who lived in Ghana for 10 years, and whose recent research has involved "cultural constraints to education and the health status of children in Ghana with a particular emphasis on the girl child." She too said that there are many rumours in Ghana concerning ritual murders and human sacrifices. She said that she has heard of human sacrifice only through hearsay and that the truth of these stories is hard to determine. However, she reported that ritual murders do go on and that the theft of body parts sometimes occurs during feuds or wars where members of the victorious party will take the hearts or penises of those they have killed. The professor said that victims of ritual murders are strangers or enemies of those who commit them and not of their ethnic group.

When asked if it was likely that a person who had refused the position of chief would be sacrificed, she said that she was "very sceptical" of this. According to the professor, a potential chief has a certain amount of authority and it would therefore be unlikely they would be sacrificed and she believed this would be frowned upon. However, she stated that Ghana is extremely diverse in its ethnic makeup and therefore she could not speak authoritatively for every group.

She said that the legal authorities would take action if ritual murders were reported to them but cautioned that there would be limits on the ability of legal authorities to do so, particularly in the north, which is more traditional than the south. In the latter region there are greater literacy-rates and greater access to newspapers, radios and electricity. In the north, where ritual murders would be more likely to occur, these incidents would likely not be reported to police or government authorities, but instead would be handled by local clan authorities. In the remote areas there are very few police or legal authorities and such matters would not be discussed with them. The professor said that the Ghanaian government is trying to deal with these traditional practices, but their ability to do so in the north is in question.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Professor of Anthropology, Africa Studies Centre, University of Cambridge. 25 August 2000. Telephone interview.

Professor of Political Science, London Guildhall University. 23 August 2000. Telephone interview.

Africa Confidential. [London]. Biweekly. January 1997 - July 2000.

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [Oxford]. Monthly. January 1998 - June 2000.

IRB databases

LEXIS-NEXIS

REFWORLD

Resource Centre. Ghana country file. February 1998 - August 2000.

World News Connection (WNC)

Unsuccessful attempts to contact six non-documentary sources

Internet sites including:

Arts & Life in Africa

Ethnologue

Joshua Project 2000

Joy Online

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge].

United Nations, Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN)