Word: mensah
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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Africa was enjoying a rash of ritual murder. Three years ago jet-complexioned Sir Ofori Atta, Paramount Chief of Akim Abuakwa, died (of natural causes) in the Gold Coast Colony. Soon his friend and secretary, Mensah, Chief of Apedwa, disappeared from view. After long investigation by the British authorities, eight natives were convicted of murdering Mensah, and sentenced to hang (TIME, Dec.11,1944). Mensah, the Crown contended, had been sacrificed to provide blood to daub a ceremonial stool which represented the late Sir Ofori; or to provide Sir Ofori with a companion in the spirit world; or both...
...Ofori had not long been dead when his good friend Akyea Mensah, the Odikro of Apedwa, subchief of Akim Abuakwa. disappeared. The Odikro's servant and two pygmy followers also vanished. For nine months Gold Coast authorities quietly investigated. Then they arrested eight natives, charged them with murdering the Odikro. In time the eight stood in the prisoner's dock in Accra's white, sweltering courthouse. They rolled their eyes, cast covertly accusing glances at each other, sweated while witnesses testified...