25th August 2023 7:18:07 AM
2 mins readA female resident of a Witch camp, Kukuo, at a community outside of Bimbilla in the Northern region, Ghana has opened up about her experiences at the facility. She recounted the distressing period when she found herself crying incessantly for three consecutive days in a documentary by a Nigerian atheist and content creator, Gbenga Adewoye, titled The Face of a Witch| Ghana Witch Camps.
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She also revealed the dark thoughts that crossed her mind, contemplating the idea of ending her life through suicide.Her presence there was a result of being accused of witchcraft by her community, following the unfortunate passing of a neighbour. This accusation, she explained, arose due to the belief that she was responsible for her neighbour's demise, leading to her being labelled as a witch.
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In her account, she revealed that she spent a duration of four years within the camp. “It’s been 4 years since I came, someone passed away in my community and I was accused of being a witch. I cried for three straight days.
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I wanted to commit suicide then I thought to myself how I would only be proving them right?There are six "witches' camps," In the Northern part of Ghana, where women are compelled to take refuge due to being unjustly labelled as witches, often for offences they have no knowledge of committing.Tragically, these women face severe mistreatment and harsh conditions within these camps, which persist until their unfortunate demise.
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In July 2020, a tragic incident occurred in Kafaba near Salaga in the Savannah region, where Akua Denteh, a 90-year-old woman, lost her life under distressing circumstances.She was falsely labelled a witch by a priestess and subsequently subjected to a horrifying fate. A furious mob within the community dragged her and ultimately lynched her.Regrettably, this horrifying incident is not an isolated occurrence.
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Older women, and sometimes even older men, who find themselves accused of practicing witchcraft, face substantial dangers.In local communities, various misfortunes such as failed crops, accidents, or deaths can trigger accusations of witchcraft.Especially vulnerable are widowed women, who often face accusations of having caused their husbands' deaths for personal gain.
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Such accusations can lead to these women being unjustly branded as witches, subjected to mistreatment, and even facing threats to their lives.In 2021, three Members of Parliament took a significant step by introducing a Private Members’ Bill. The bill aimed to amend the Criminal and Other Offences Act of 1960 (Act 29) with the primary objective of prohibiting the activities of witch doctors and witchfinders.
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The proponents of this bill were Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu, who represents the Madina constituency, Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba, representing the Pusiga constituency, and Dr. Godfred Seidu Jasaw, who serves the Wa East constituency.
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