SASABONSAM

Chapter 3

The next day at the base of the cliff a man was grazing his cows. As the man was hovering over the area, he noticed on the ground there was a large drawing of an alchemy star that was surrounded by a circle done by blood. And at the corners of the alchemy star, there were human skulls. This was prove that there was presence of witchcraft in the area.

The man reacted by moving around the circle slowly as he was observing it. As he was moving around it, he noticed there was somewhere a skull was off line. He stopped and for some moment gauzed at it then using his foot, he pushed the skull into the line. Immediately the vegetation around the circle started decaying the man he ran away.

The next moment the man was kneeling before the ten councils of elders where they were surrounding the man. It was compulsory for cases to be taken to the clan of elders before being whereas ten of them would come with a solution of how to act. Chief Ashanti the head of the council was found to seat at the center so as to neutralize because mostly he was the speaker the other elder faced the man and asked,

“Tell us what you saw?”

“At the base of the cliff, I saw a demonic drawing, drawn on the ground by blood.”

“Can you describe how the drawing was?”

The man stammered where they could hardly understand him, Osei’s father Owusu said, “The man does not know how to read nor to write I think is best if we go to the site.” Another elder moved closer to the man and said to the man, “Thank you for your service now you can go back to your family and say nothing to no one what you saw.” The clan of elders knew this a witch act that would lead to a panic in the community where they were not ready to produce a suspect. The man responded by nodding his head.

At noon, ten of the clan of elders were surrounding the site to where the vegetation had decayed. Owusu who was one of the clans of elders asked, “Why is this area having such an odor smell?” This was an indication that it was way over what they had expected; this witchcraft was beginning of a new error to them. Chief Ashanti who seemed to be wiser than the other was responded, “This is an indication that there was a powerful dark magic practiced here.” Fante one of the elders asked, “And what’s the intention of this witchery.”

Chief Ashanti replied to Fante,

 “I don’t know yet but we have to find who did it before he does something big.”

 “And how will we find the person who did it?”

“I have no idea but first we have to inform everybody in the villager to take care.”

Owusu who was standing at a distance turned towards where Chief Ashanti was and responded, “No that is not the right to do because it will cause panic to everybody.” Fante in tears of IQ among the elders he was the one listed had the lowest added, “I agree to that so that.”

Ofori after the previous day he unwell he was sleeping in his small hut. For the community a boy after circumcision it was compulsory for him to own his own house beside the others. Suddenly at the door of his hut was knocked, Ofori slight open his eyes and shouted, “Who is it?” in the other side of Ofori’s room his Mother shouted, “It’s me son!” he was not willing to meet with any person so chasing his mother away he responded, “Mother am not feeling right just go.”

“Am not going”

“Ok give me an hour.”

“I am coming in now.”

Though it was a taboo for a mother to enter his circumcised boy’s room Opokuaa had no fear of those due to the love to his boy she was ignorant. Ofori at a distance saw a piece of clothing that had blood, sprung on it, and threw it over the corner. Immediately her mother banged the door and walked in.

Ofori sat on the bed properly looking bored and said to her mother, “Mother you cannot at least give me my time alone?” Opokuaa sat on the bed beside Ofori and asked him,

“I know is not right to enter your hut but you are still my son and I do care about you so tell me where you were last night?”

“I was at my friend’s house.”

“Just say you were spending the night with Akyaa.”

“Mother please do not say anything about Akyaa.”

“Ok, I came to tell you that there is a community gathering at the parade.”

“I will not manage to go there.”

“Just avail yourself because if they know you did not attend they will punish you.”

“Mother now I don’t fear anything if they want to kill me because I did not attend the gathering let it be so I don’t fear.”

Opokuaa faced Ofori and looking seriously said, “I don’t want to ever hear you say that again am your mother, and giving you my love is now all that you want, and let’s meet at the gathering.” The case was serious where the clan of elders saw it was best to share it with the people so that they can take care and also help them to find the criminal. Then after the words, Opokuaa rose and walked out leaving Ofori silent.

At the village parade ground, the citizens of the community were gathered and all facing towards the raised podium. This podium was used in major events of the community such as addressing and some time back it was used to hug criminals. Everybody was murmuring to one another and to where Ofori was standing he was silently and looking lonely.

When everybody had gathered round the podium the head of the clan of elder, Chief Ashanti walked to the podium faced the people, and said, “Order my people.” Immediately everybody went silent and faced Chief Ashanti where Chief Ashanti cleared and said, “In our community witchcraft was one of the deadliest crimes we have ever fought against it. And we all know 20 years ago we were sure we had completely that fight. But today in the morning we had a confirmation that we did not fully defeat witchcraft we know its effect on us so if you saw your neighbor last night did something strange just report for the safety of the community.”

The community considered witchcraft as a major crime that was to be punished by death where even being suspect it would ruin your reputation. After the words, Chief Ashanti left the podium silently and looking angry. On the other side of the ground, the citizen was all left with terror that made them all silent.

To where Akyaa was he noticed Ofori. He was standing some few meters away from her silent and looking lonely. She moved towards where he was standing. Ready to do what she was advised by her boyfriend to do is she cared about him. She walked behind him tapped his back and looking calm she said, “Hello bro how are you doing?” Ofori turned back to find it was Akyaa looking calm,

“I was only making new life resolution.”

“Ofori stop stressing yourself with petty things your important than those things. By the way, I had something important to tell you.”

“Akyaa I am busy I have somewhere to go.”

Then Ofori faced where he started walking away from where Akyaa said, “It’s about our friendship. “ Ofori he immediately paused where Akyaa continued, “Where were you last night I covered up for you by saying you were with me and don’t say thank you.”

Ofori without saying any word he left away leaving Akyaa silently looking at him. This time he was not ready to forgive her he had also made him mind he will have a new start. She turned and saw that Osei at a distance was facing her and immediately she started crying softly. Osei quickly rushed and tightly hugged her to comfort her. Akyaa still as she was crying she said,

“I feel petty for him.”

“He is a man he will be ok.”

“OK and what about me and I have already started missing him.”

“We talked about this.”

Akyaa with no other word coming out of her mouth she cried as watching Ofori going away. As Akyaa was hugging Osei and watching Ofori walking away three soldiers went and hit Ofori where he fell on the ground unconscious. Once all the good moment they had together played in her mind. She quickly spring off Osei’s hand and rushed to where Ofori was laying on the ground. She could not hold losing him and further more seeing guards hurting the innocent guy.

When she reached where Ofori was laying she pushed off the soldiers while shouting, “Let him go.” The respected the lady where they moved aside, She knelt on the ground while crying to him she tried to raise him but the way he was hit he was unconscious to even raise. This caused a scene that everybody surrounded them.

Osei went to and gently pulled Akyaa off while saying to her, “let’s go.” Akyaa not caring about people that had gathered round them what they will say she cried while saying, “I am not leaving him here.” He struggled with her until he manage to pull her off the scene. He faced the soldiers nodded his head to indicate to them to take away him and tightly hugged her to comfort her as the guards took away Ofori. Still, as she was hugging Osei she asked,

“Why have they taken him?”

“He was suspected of the witch art that was performed.”

“Are the one who told them?”

“Yes!”

Slowly Akyaa pulled of the hug while looking at Osei in a curious look. Then Osei as he was facing Akyaa direct to her eyes he continued, “I am patriotic to my community.” On anger that was so intense that made her tears vanish she asked, “Do you know the punishment of witchcraft?”

“Death!”

“You can never be trusted.”

After the words, Akyaa left Osei hanging around the crowd of the people that we're watching the scene. At this moment, he knew he had started a fight that they have never had only because of her friend. One of the women in the crowd moved close to Osei who was gazing at Akyaa and asked, “Why is that man taken away?” Osei still as he was looking at Akyaa he responded to the woman, “Nothing.” Then Osei left away too.

Ofori slowly opened his eyes from his long unconscious state and at his first sight, he saw Chief Ashanti, Fante, Owusu, Bono, Akuapem, Akwamu, Agona, Akyem, Safwi, and Kwahu the ten elders. He tried to pull off from the tree but it was impossible due to the strong chains that he was tied on. Beside the tree that Ofori was tied to, there were two soldiers. At the moment he was considered as the most dangerous criminal.

Chief Ashanti the head asked Ofori, “What was your aim?” Ofori with his silent character not able to express himself he replied, “What are you asking me and I don’t know why am here.” Immediately one of the soldiers beside him whipped him which made him scream out loud and shouted, “Please let me go I have done nothing wrong.” To where he was, he was not easily getting out only the hand of God would be the thing that would help him out.

Fante moved closer to Ofori and said, “Ok boy let me be clear why did you perform that dark art at the foot of the cliff.” Ofori replied, “I was not the one who did it.” Fante then turned to one of the soldiers nodded his head once and the soldier responded by whipping Ofori continuously. He was one of the softest people in the community and he was subjected to what made strong men cry out for help, Ofori was screaming aloud as he was whipped as a young one when he is hungry.

After the whippings stopped Fante faced Ofori asked, “I have not asked you if you did it or not I only asked you why you did it.” The pain, the sobbing and his inability to converse perfectly made the words that came out of his mouth with no scene he responded,

“I have never even see or hard of a witch.”

“Ok, and why were you seen moving from the cliff late at night?”

“I was not the one who performed the witchcraft.”

Fante then nodded once to the two soldiers beside Ofori who they responded by both whipping Ofori who was screaming as he was being whipped. Chief Ashanti was the one who looked as if he had scene but afraid of eat because he loosed his wife due to witchcraft he said to the Soldiers, “Stop!” where the soldiers stopped at once.

Chief Ashanti faced Ofori and softly asked, “The truth will let you free.” Ofori as he was sobbing he replied, “Speaking the truth I have been going through a lot lately and the only solution I had is to end my life and that was the reason I was at the Cliff yesterday.” Chief Ashanti replied, “The first time I saw you boy with my daughter I thought you were good but it looks you are not good as I saw.”

Then Chief Ashanti turned away and walked back to where the other council of elders was standing leaving Ofori shouting, “Please believe me am saying the truth.” When Chief Ashanti reached where the others were standing he said, “Her is clamming not to be the one.” Owusu responded,

“He is lying because he was covered by blood last night.”

“We have no other option but to hang him before everyone if he is the one.”

“He was my son’s friend I never knew he is capable of doing that.”

The other elders silently nodded their heads to agree.

In the afternoon Ofori was tied both his hands and there was a rope surrounding his neck before the whole community and Chief Ashanti was standing beside him. There was held another meeting to see how witchcraft is punished to show people the crime of witchcraft so that they can avoid involving into it. Chief Ashanti looking sad-faced Ofori who was weak and blood was using off every part of his body for a moment than faced the citizens and said,

“We have been fighting this war for so long and it reached a position it all stopped and that is the time I saw not to kill under any law broken but today I have to break the community law and this is what happens if you're caught performing witchery.”

Then Chief Ashanti moved to the handle that would open the floor to where Ofori was standing and tighten the rope around Ofori’s neck. As the chief, he was the one who supposed to conduct the death sentence. But before Chief Ashanti pulling the handle he said to Ofori, “Say your last words.” He had a good heart that made him the best leader.

 Ofori turned to the crowd that was cheering to his death and noticed Ama and their eyes locked. And for some moment Ofori stared at her silently he could not imagine he was never going to enjoy his new friend vibe. He said still as he was facing her, “ Taking this punishment for a crime that I wanted to do which is suicide is better than taking for what I have no idea.”

Then Ofori smiled as he was facing Ama who a drop of tear got off her eyes. Chief Ashanti noticed the way Ofori was looking at her daughter and the way her daughter looked emotional and pulled the handle. He could never want his daughter to attach her fillings with criminal especially witches.

Immediately Ama closed her eyes as Ofori suspended on air held by the rope in his neck. Deep down she knew he was a good boy but could not protect him because she did not know him more. Then without turning to Ofori, Ama left away leaving the people cheering up. Chief Ashanti where he was he saw her daughter leaving and also he left the podium looking disappointed.