Two hundred and eighty persons banished into four witch camps in northern Ghana

Human Rights lawyer and Member of Parliament for the Madina constituency, Mr. Francis Xavier Sosu, has disclosed that a whopping two hundred and eighty (280) persons in the Northern Region of Ghana have been banished into four witch camps, a phenomenon he described as disturbing and which warrants the urgent attention of duty bearers.

He also described as appalling the recent murder of two persons, Imoror Safaura and Mbaa Chirfo on Sunday 7th May, 2023 at Zakplasi, a peasant community in the Mion district of the Northern Region as a result of witchcraft accusations.

Mr. Xavier Sosu noted that the recent killing continues a growing and worrying trend of death and assault as a result of witchcraft accusations following the death of Madam Akua Denteh, a ninety-year old woman, who was subjected to whipping and one Asibidut, a 40-year-old woman whose arms were chopped off due to a similar accusation at Sakruku in the North East Region of Ghana.

He noted that a private member bill initiated by him and some of his colleague Members of Parliament which seeks to amend the Criminal and Other Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) to proscribe the declaration, accusation, naming or labeling of another person as a witch is currently pending in parliament.

He added that the bill seeks to prohibit a person from employing or soliciting anyone to accuse, name, label, indicate, or declare another person as a witch, and also provides for related matters.

“If passed, the bill will ensure the prevention of further violation of the rights of older persons and the 1992 constitution, as well as various international treaties such as the Africa Human and Peoples’ Rights (AHPR); Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatments; Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR); and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), among others”, he said.

 “The time is ripe for us to truly safeguard and consolidate our human rights and democratic principles by ending witchcraft accusations, and ensuring the achievement of a free, open, progressive, inclusive and secure society for all,” he emphasized.