Human rights lawyer Francis Xavier-Sosu says there is an urgent need for President Akufo-Addo to assent to the Criminal Offenses Amendment Bill 2022 into law to safeguard the human rights of women accused of witchcraft in the country.
The abuse of women for alleged witchcraft especially in Northern Ghana has seen a surge where the accused are subjected to various forms of torture by their accusers including religious leaders.
The passage of the Criminal Offenses Amendment Bill 2022 which has amended portions of the Criminal Offenses Act, 1960 (Act 29), prohibits a person to declare, accuse, name or label another person as a witch.
The Madina legislation that initiated the bill in an interview with Starr News said leadership of the country must ensure the protection of all persons and charged the President to assent to the bill before he exits office.
His comments stem from a recent case of a pastor who was captured in a viral video punching an elderly woman accused of witchcraft in the North East Region.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM
