Urgent Call to End Witchcraft-Related Violence
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) intensified its push for the Anti-Witchcraft Bill’s passage on July 24, 2025, at a forum marking the fifth anniversary of Akua Denteh’s 2020 lynching in Kafaba, Northern Region. Commissioner Joseph Whittal called the bill “long overdue,” urging Parliament to act swiftly to protect vulnerable women and children.
Recent incidents, including the July 22, 2025, accusations against an 11-year-old girl and three elderly women in Anhwiesu, Central Region, and the July 10 murder of 70-year-old Noab Bilatukin in Sangbana, highlight the ongoing violence. The Anhwiesu case involved a forced exorcism, while four suspects were arrested in Sangbana. CHRAJ warns such abuses persist without legal protection.
The Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2023, passed by Parliament on July 28, 2023, and sponsored by NDC MP Francis-Xavier Sosu, bans witchcraft accusations and witch-doctor practices. Former President Akufo-Addo withheld assent, citing financial concerns, leading to its lapse. Vice-President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang announced on July 23, 2025, a new bill.
CHRAJ, backed by ActionAid Ghana and Amnesty International, stresses the bill’s role in upholding Ghana’s human rights commitments under SDG 5. The Anhwiesu incident, involving a fetish priest’s claims, underscores the need for legal deterrence, per Adomonline.com. With 293 women in Northern witch camps, CHRAJ demands urgent action to end the “dehumanizing” practice.