19-year-old struck dead by lightning at Dodi-Papase

A 19-year-old man, Justice Berina Komla from Dodi-Kpomkpa community, tragically lost his life after being struck by lightning on Friday, October 17, at Dodi-Papase in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region. 

The incident occurred while the young man was reportedly uprooting a palm tree on a farmland in the area.

According to a local traditional leader who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on condition of anonymity, the deceased was in the process of removing his third palm tree when the lightning struck him. 

Eyewitnesses described the thunderclap as unusually loud and frightening, followed immediately by screams from those nearby who rushed to find Justice lying motionless on the ground. 

His body, as of Saturday afternoon, October 18, was still at the scene of the incident, awaiting the performance of traditional rites before removal. 

The traditional leader suggested that the lightning strike may not have been a mere natural occurrence.

He alleged that there were suspicions within the community that the deceased may have stolen an item belonging to another resident, who might have invoked the power of thunder god, known as Zakadza, to seek justice. 

Zakadza, revered in parts of the Volta and Oti regions, is traditionally believed to have the power to strike wrongdoers dead with thunder when invoked through specific rituals by those who feel wronged. 

The traditional authority added that a delegation had been sent to consult a spiritualist (sorcerer) to determine the exact spiritual cause of death and to receive guidance on the necessary purification and burial rites.

According to custom, the body could not be touched or buried until the appropriate rituals were performed, particularly in cases suspected to involve spiritual intervention. 

The sudden and mysterious nature of the incident has left the Dodi-Papase community in shock, with many residents expressing fear and uncertainty.

Others have called for calm and urged the community to wait for the outcome of the traditional consultation. 

Meanwhile, local authorities are yet to comment officially on the matter.

It is unclear whether the police will conduct a parallel investigation into the incident, although lightning strikes are not uncommon during the rainy season in Ghana. 

The incident has reignited conversations around the intersection of traditional beliefs and natural phenomena in rural communities, where spiritual explanations are often sought in cases of sudden or unexplained deaths. 

Source: GNA