Lawyer John Agbotey, a Private Legal practitioner, has highlighted the potential legal consequences for individuals who accuse others of witchcraft and subject them to mistreatment.
He suggested that such individuals could face imprisonment for three years or be required to pay a fine of not less than one thousand Ghana cedis.
Mr Agbotey’s comments were made in response to a recent incident in Gomoa Mampong, located in the Central Region of Ghana, where a young lady was falsely accused of witchcraft by residents.
In the incident, the residents claimed that one of their neighbours had been suffering from an unknown illness.
Consequently, they sought the intervention of a prophet. During the prayer session, they alleged that they witnessed a crown transforming into human flesh, which they believed belonged to the accused lady.
The police in the area had to intervene to prevent potential mob violence and rescued the lady.
This incident is not an isolated case, as several individuals have been falsely accused and, in some instances, even beaten to death due to accusations of witchcraft. In certain cases, family members of the accused individuals have come forward to assert that their loved ones were actually suffering from mental disorders or dementia.
During an educational session on The Big Agenda program on Adom TV, Lawyer Agbotey emphasised that capturing videos of the victims and publishing their faces violate their rights, making the individuals engaging in such actions liable to a fine of GHC 1,000 or imprisonment for three years.
He explained that such actions could be classified as defamation or slander, as they infringe upon the person’s fundamental human rights.
Mr Agbotey further clarified that the law does not recognize witchcraft, and accusing someone of being a witch or wizard constitutes an allegation that cannot be proven, thereby qualifying as slander and defamation.
The perpetrators behind such accusations can be found guilty by the court.
When asked about his opinion on establishing a witchcraft court in Ghana, Mr Agbotey expressed his disagreement, stating, “I don’t think as a nation, we should have a law or court that will sit on spiritual matters because spiritual matters are very difficult to determine, and lawyers deal with evidence. If such a court were established, where would lawyers obtain evidence from, and how would the case be tried?” he emphasised.
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