A new law has been passed by Parliament in Ghana that makes it a criminal offense to declare, accuse, name, or label someone as a witch. Apexnewsgh report
The amendment, which was approved on Thursday, also prohibits the practice of being a witch doctor or witchfinder. Speaker Alban Bagbin announced in Parliament that the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill 2022 had been read for the third time and passed.
The amendment to the Criminal Offences Act 1960, Act 29, aims to prevent people from acting as witch doctors or witchfinders and to outlaw the declaration, accusation, naming, or labeling of individuals as witches. Kwaku Asante, one of the bill’s sponsors and the MP for Wa East, Dr. Godfred Seidu Jassaw, stated that they expect the president to promptly sign the bill into law.
As a result of the bill’s passage, Francis Xavier Sosu, MP for Madina and co-sponsor of the bill, has stated that witches camps throughout the country will be disbanded. He further explained that the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection will take necessary measures to reintegrate the camp inmates back into society.
Providing some background, in 2020, a disturbing incident occurred where a 90-year-old woman named Madam Akua Denteh was lynched in the Savanah region due to accusations of being a witch. A video circulating online showed the deceased being physically assaulted, including being slapped, kicked, and caned in Kafaba near Salaga, located in the East Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region.
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