Fear Grips Kensere After Farmer Is Killed in Land Dispute

Fear and tension have engulfed Kensere, a farming community in the Bekwai Municipality of the Ashanti Region, following the killing of a middle-aged farmer in what residents suspect is a land-related dispute.

The deceased, identified as Yaw Acheampong and believed to be in his fifties, was found dead on a disputed farmland where he had gone to carry out his routine farming activities. Eyewitnesses say he was allegedly ambushed by unknown assailants shortly after arriving at the site.

Community sources revealed that the land in question has been the subject of a long-standing legal battle between Acheampong and another individual. Residents allege that the prolonged dispute had created tension for years and may have culminated in the fatal attack.

People who rushed to the scene after hearing distress calls reported that Acheampong had sustained severe injuries, including deep cuts to the head, while his left wrist had been severed and found some distance away from the body. The attackers reportedly fled immediately after the incident.

The matter was promptly reported to the police, and the body of the deceased has since been deposited at a nearby mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

Meanwhile, the Bekwai Divisional Police Command has launched a full-scale investigation into the killing. Police sources say some individuals have been picked up to assist with investigations as efforts intensify to identify and apprehend those responsible.

Although no official arrests have been announced, the police have assured residents that all leads are being thoroughly pursued to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The killing has sparked widespread fear within the Kensere community, with residents calling on security agencies to intensify patrols to protect lives and property. Traditional authorities and opinion leaders have also appealed for calm, urging residents to allow the police to carry out their investigations.

The tragic incident has once again highlighted the dangers associated with unresolved land disputes, particularly in rural farming communities where prolonged litigation and competing claims often escalate into violent confrontations.