Gbewaa CoE lecturer, 5 pastors among 9 remanded for witchcraft accusation in Bongo

A disturbing incident of witchcraft accusation has led to the arrest and remand of Edmund Anamboi Aduko, a lecturer at Gbewaa College of Education, five pastors, and others in the Bongo district of the Upper East region.

The accused individuals allegedly accused 61-year-old Ayidaana Abotisei of being a witch, resulting in her near-lynching in Adaboya community after they forcefully took her to a fetish priest to confess wrongdoing, contrary to Section 207 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act of Ghana (Act 29, 1960).

At the Bongo district court on July 2, 2024, the accused were brought before the court, which remanded them for two weeks to allow for further police investigation. The decision was made due to the fact that seven of the accused are currently at large.

The police are working to apprehend the remaining suspects and ensure that all perpetrators are brought to justice.

The accused persons include: Edmund Anamboi Aduko (57 years), Gbewaa College of Education lecturer; Aduko Isaac Asaa (28 years); Ayaka Calvin (20 years); Akayeti George (26 years); Yakub Zeckariah (20 years); and Agana Pius (20 years). Those currently at large include: Asinga, Baba Adongo, Nyaaba, Atiah, Atobire, and Adogwereke.

The remaining accused, charged with threatening to kill the son of the victim for reporting the case to the police, include: Ayamga Godwin (37 years), Asandoo Gideon (25 years), Christopher Abugre (31 years), and Asinga, who is at large.

The accused are to reappear in court on August 15, 2024. The victim is currently receiving healthcare as she alleges that the fetish priest burned her abdomen with fire in a pot to force her to accept that she had recruited some girls to practice witchcraft in the community, as claimed by the pastors.

Aduko Joseph Azubire, son of the accused Mrs. Abotisei, is calling for justice for his mother. He said, “Right now I want justice for my mother, for the mocking, the insults, and the trauma.”

Source: A1Radioonline.Com|101.1MHZ|David Azure|Bongo|