CHRAJ to Parliament: Pass Anti-Witchcraft Bill Now — Or Blood Will Be on Your Hands
CHRAJ renews push for Anti-Witchcraft Bill following deadly attacks; urges Parliament to act before more lives are lost.
- CHRAJ calls for urgent passage of Anti-Witchcraft Bill amid rising abuse
- Recent cases involve public exorcisms and killings tied to accusations
- Bill passed by Parliament in 2023, but was not signed into law
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) is urgently appealing to Parliament to fast-track the passage of the Anti-Witchcraft Bill, warning that continued delays are fueling a rise in violence, abuse, and even killings linked to witchcraft accusations.
Speaking at a forum on Wednesday, July 24, 2025 — marking five years since the brutal lynching of Akua Denteh — CHRAJ Commissioner Joseph Whittal emphasized that the bill is long overdue and its passage is critical to protecting the rights and lives of vulnerable individuals, particularly women and children.
“Why don’t you allow the bill to pass, and if anyone disagrees, they can challenge it in court?” Whittal asked. He also pointed out the irony that Ghana’s current president hails from a region where witchcraft-related abuse is most prevalent.
CHRAJ’s renewed call follows a string of disturbing incidents:
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On July 22, in Anhwiesu (Central Region), an 11-year-old girl and three elderly women were publicly accused of spiritual attacks. A fetish priest was brought in to conduct an exorcism.
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On July 15, in the North East Region, four individuals were arrested for murdering a 70-year-old woman accused of witchcraft in Sangbana village. Several suspects remain at large.
CHRAJ warns these are part of a larger pattern of abuse in Ghana’s rural communities, where superstition and fear often lead to torture, stigmatization, or death.
The Anti-Witchcraft Bill — officially the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2023 — was passed by Parliament on July 28, 2023. It criminalizes the practices of witchcraft accusation, witch finding, and labelling individuals as witches. It was spearheaded by Madina MP Francis-Xavier Sosu and other NDC legislators.
However, the bill never became law after former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo withheld his assent, citing potential financial implications on the consolidated fund.
With recent incidents highlighting the deadly consequences of inaction, CHRAJ and civil society are now urging Parliament to move swiftly — before more lives are lost.
