Ghanaian woman declared dead during Hajj returns home alive

A shocking case of mistaken identity has rocked the Madina UN community in Accra after a woman who was believed to have died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia unexpectedly returned home alive on Wednesday, July 3.

Fatima Kassim’s sudden reappearance stunned her family and local residents—many of whom had already mourned her passing and attended her funeral. Some community members reportedly fled in fear, believing they had encountered a ghost.

The confusion began when Kassim was erroneously reported dead in Saudi Arabia. Ghana’s consulate issued an official death certificate, prompting her grieving family to conduct burial rites in accordance with Islamic customs.

However, the situation took an astonishing twist when Fatima arrived home days after her own funeral. Her return transformed the family’s sorrow into a mix of disbelief, relief, and confusion.

“I feel happy and sad because we are still confused about the situation. This is like a wonder,” a startled relative told Citi News’ Umaru Sanda Amadu during a visit to their Madina residence.

The incident has since been traced to a critical error by the Hajj Taskforce. Alhaji Amadu Sorogho, a taskforce member, admitted the fault, saying, “It was a case of mistaken identity. The most important thing is that the lady is alive and everything is over.”

Further clarity came from Alhaji Iddi Sumaila, Director of Administration of the Hajj Taskforce. He explained that two women were receiving treatment at the time of the mix-up—one traveling under a tourist visa and the other as part of the Ghanaian Hajj delegation. Without access to their passports, officials wrongly identified the deceased.

“We accidentally switched their identities. The embassy, acting on that information, issued the death certificate,” he explained.

This alarming episode underscores the severe consequences of identity errors during large-scale events like the Hajj, which this year saw over 20,000 Ghanaian pilgrims. It also highlights the importance of robust verification systems, especially when issuing legal documents such as death certificates.

Beyond the procedural failures, the emotional toll on Kassim’s family has been immense. They not only endured the pain of mourning a loved one they believed was lost but also faced financial burdens from funeral preparations and the disbelief of a shocked community.

The incident is expected to trigger a comprehensive review of the Hajj Taskforce’s identification processes, especially for pilgrims requiring medical care. Experts stress that more stringent protocols are essential to prevent such traumatic mistakes and to preserve public confidence in official systems managing international religious events.