Cudjoe Hlolary, the fetish priest accused of the gruesome murder of a 41-year-old woman, Joyce Akua Amponmaa, in the Central Region, has offered a chilling justification for his actions, claiming that he experiences an uncontrollable, violent urge to decapitate human beings whenever he is under a spiritual trance.

In a disturbing confession following his arrest, Hlolary detailed a pattern of erratic behaviour linked to what he described as a malevolent spirit.

He admitted that the attack on the deceased, whom he acknowledged was a "good woman", was not an isolated incident but rather the culmination of urges he had been struggling to suppress.

During interrogation, the suspect revealed that his internal conflict began long before the murder of Joyce Amponmaa. He alleged that he had previously been possessed by the same spirit and had come perilously close to killing his own brother.

“I always feel like cutting off a human head whenever the spirit arrives,” Hlolary stated, adding that he had previously managed to restrain himself but failed to do so during the encounter with the deceased.

The confession has deepened the sense of shock within the Awutu Bentum community in the Central Region, with many questioning how a man who openly admitted to harbouring homicidal impulses was permitted to operate as a healer for vulnerable members of the public.

The investigation into the case has revealed disturbing details regarding the treatment of the victim’s remains. Authorities confirm that the suspect allegedly mutilated the victim’s body, removing specific parts to be used for ritualistic purposes.

Police are currently pursuing leads to verify the suspect’s claims that these remains were transported to his hometown in the Volta Region. The investigation team is working in coordination with traditional authorities in the region to locate the alleged burial site.

The family of the deceased remains devastated by the suspect’s attempt to use "spiritual possession" as a defense.

Speaking to the media, relatives of the late Joyce Amponmaa dismissed the priest's narrative as a calculated tactic to evade accountability for a premeditated crime.