CHRAJ wants Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill 2022 assented to …to ban witchcraft accusation

Mr Joseph Whittal

The Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mr Joseph Whittal, has called on the president to assent to the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2022, which seeks to proscribe witchcraft accusation.

According to him, the bill, which was passed by Parliament in June 2023 to prohibit the practice by any person as a witch doctor or a witch finder among others, was yet to be assented to by the president.

“The object of the bill is to amend the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Acts 29) to prohibit the practice by any person as a witch doctor or a witch finder; to proscribe the declaration, accusation, naming or labelling of another person as a witch; and for related matters.”

He added that if the bill is passed into law, it would help force the practice to end.

The Commissioner made the call at the opening of the National Policy Dialogue on Access to Justice For Women Accused as Witches in Ghana held in Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region.

Organised by CHRAJ in partnership with Crossroads International, the dialogue attended by 25 stakeholders was on the theme “Stop Witchcraft Allegations Now: No Woman Should Die Because She is Perceived a Witch”.

Aimed to improve regulatory policy environment for protecting rights of women and children affected by the practice of witchcraft allegations, the national policy dialogue is one of the activities under the current Access to Justice Project which began in May 2023, after the end of the pilot phase of the project, which first started in 2021.

Also, the Commissioner stated that some cultural practices were inimical to the welfare of some members of society to the extent of being inconsistent with other provisions of the Constitution, particularly fundamental human rights, needed to be abolished, adding that the constitution gave room for that.

A Principal Research Officer at the Ministry of Justice and office of the Attorney-General’s Department, Mrs Ursula Amoah, said all forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), particularly women accused of witchcraft, were clearly a breach of the fundamental human right of every person.

“The ministry is committed to seeking Justice for victims of GBV which is evident in the swift and successful prosecution of the perpetrators of that heinous crime which resulted in the death of the 90- year- old Akua Denteh, an act which will forever remain a scar on our conscience,” she said.

The Country Manager of Crossroads International, Mrs Gifty Volimkarime, in her remarks, said abuse of older persons, especially women accused of witchcraft, was one of the most silent, yet prevalent GBV committed against women in the country.

The Deputy Director at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mrs Sabia Kpekata, said the ministry had adopted measures, including engagement with traditional authorities and religious leaders, on the negative effects of these practices, and the need to promote and protect the rights and general well-being of women, girls and the vulnerable to help eliminate such harmful cultural practices in societies.

FROM CECILIA LAGBA YADA, GOMOA FETTEH