A 25-year-old mason apprentice, Joseph Aborbor, has died after being struck by lightning during a rainstorm at Kadjebi in the Oti Region.

The tragic incident occurred on Saturday afternoon, March 21, at Kassadjan, a suburb of Kadjebi, when heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms hit the area.

Eyewitnesses said Aborbor was in his room making a phone call when lightning struck, killing him instantly.

A source who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on condition of anonymity said residents were shocked and devastated by the sudden death.

“The rain started heavily with strong thunder and lightning. He was in his room making a call when the lightning struck. We were all confused and frightened,” the source said.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at Jasikan Municipal Hospital for preservation and further investigations.

Another source, also speaking anonymously, suggested that the incident may be linked to a missing motorbike. According to the source, the motorbike’s owner had consulted Zakadza and made a public announcement via the Kadjebi Information Centre, calling for its return by Saturday, March 21.

The source added that Aborbor was suspected of taking the motorbike, a development believed to have contributed to the fatal outcome.

Zakadza, revered in the Volta and Oti Regions as well as in Togo and the Benin Republic, is traditionally believed to have the power to strike wrongdoers with thunder when invoked through specific rituals by those who feel wronged.

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