Five Members of Parliament have reintroduce Criminal Offences (Amendment) Bill to prohibit individuals from declaring, accusing, naming or labeling another person as a witch.
The Bill is also seeking to prohibit the practice by a person as a witch doctor or a witch finder.
The MPs are; Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, MP for Asante Akim Central, Rev Helen Adjoa Ntoso, MP for Krachi West, Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahim, MP for Salaga South, Abla Dzifa Gomashi, MP for Ketu South and Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, MP for Wa West.
First Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor who chaired proceedings on Tuesday, July 28 announced the first reading of the bill and its referral to the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament for consideration and report.
The bipartisan bill was first passed in July 2023 by the 8th Parliament but lapsed without receiving presidential assent.
At the time, it was was sponsored by five MPs: Francis-Xavier Kojo Sosu (Madina), Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba (Pusiga), Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw (Wa East), Helen Adjoa Ntoso (Krachi West) and Betty Nana Efua Krosbi Mensah (Afram Plains North).
If passed into law, the Bill would make it a criminal offence to accuse or label another person as a witch or to engage in the practice of witch-finding, a move proponents say is aimed at protecting victims of witchcraft accusations and ending related human rights abuses.
