A 19-year-old man, Justice Berina Komla, from Dodi-Kpomkpa in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region, has died after being struck by lightning at Dodi-Papase on Friday, October 17, 2025.
Reports indicate that the tragic incident occurred while Justice was uprooting a palm tree on a farmland in the area.
A local traditional leader, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on condition of anonymity, said the deceased was removing his third palm tree when lightning suddenly struck him.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the thunderclap was unusually loud and frightening, followed by shouts from those nearby who later found Justice lying motionless on the ground.
As of Saturday afternoon, October 18, his body remained at the scene, awaiting traditional rites before it could be moved.
The traditional leader hinted that the incident may not have been a mere act of nature, suggesting that the thunder god, Zakadza, could have been invoked.
In some communities across the Volta and Oti regions, Zakadza is believed to possess the power to strike wrongdoers dead when invoked through traditional rituals.
According to the leader, a delegation had been sent to consult a spiritualist to confirm whether the incident had a spiritual cause and to determine the purification and burial rites required.
By custom, the body cannot be touched or buried until the prescribed rituals are performed, especially in cases suspected to involve spiritual intervention.
The mysterious nature of the incident has thrown the Dodi-Papase community into fear and confusion, with some residents calling for calm while awaiting the outcome of the traditional consultations.
Local authorities are yet to issue an official statement, and it remains unclear whether the police will launch an investigation.
The tragic event has once again stirred discussions about the intersection between traditional beliefs and natural occurrences in rural Ghana, where lightning strikes are often interpreted through spiritual lenses.
Source: GNA
