Witchcraft Accusation Is A Prison Offence In Ghana, According To New Bill [Find details]

1. Accusing someone of witchcraft is an age-long remark that can alter the perception of a whole family in their communities.

2. Some of such accusations, especially from religious leaders, sometimes lead to the death of the accused from physical attacks.

3. Some of the accused witches and wizards end up being chased to witch camps to avoid lynching or societal attacks, either emotionally or physically.

4. There are several organisations who have been pushing for a legal regime to stop some of the accusations to some extent, but to no avail.

5. The good news for people who are usually accused is that a private members bill being championed by some Members of Parliament has seen the bill being gazetted awaiting reading in parliament to become a law.

6. The nature and form of the bill could easily send anyone to jail, especially religious leaders like pastors, mallams, traditional priests and even individuals.

7. It is left to be seen whether the current president or even the next president will sign the passed bill to become a law, since the major reason for not supporting the bill in the fourth republic is the political insecurity associated with the bill and feared by the major political parties in the country.

8. Kofi Asare, the CEO of Africa Education summarised the announcement of the gazetting as: I am happy the private member’s bill to criminalize witchcraft accusations has been gazetted. It will be laid before the house in 2023. Very soon, the witch catching business of fake pastors and witch doctors will end in prison!

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