Amnesty International Ghana, a non-governmental organization has welcomed the arrest of the Chief of Kafaba, Zackaria Yahaya, over the lynching of 90-year-old Akua Denteh although it believes the action was a bit late.
The chief was picked up around 10:00 am on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, and sent to the Salaga police station for interrogation.
The Regional Director of Amnesty International Ghana, Robert Akoto-Amoafo in a Citi News interview called on the police to expedite investigation and prosecutions.
“I think it is a step in the right direction, one that has come too late for us but rather welcoming. I think that there are two approaches to this matter. The criminal part and the part of people suffering torture within the community for being accused of witchcraft. And so what we’re expecting is that the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Interior Ministry and various institutions responsible will as soon as possible deal the with holistically.”
Akua Denteh was lynched by members of Kafaba after they accused her of practising witchcraft.
A video of the incident has caused a public uproar with many calling on security agencies to fast-track arrests and prosecutions.
CHRAJ questions slow pace of investigation
On the same issue, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) questioned the slow pace of investigations being conducted by the police.
The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal in a Citi News interview said the time has come for the state to take action on protecting elderly citizens.
“To know that in the same vicinity there is a Police Station and it has taken such a long time to make any major arrest. It tells you that this belief pattern has sunk in deeper than we think and we need to really extricate ourselves out of this before the world community thinks that we are joking with this thing called the protection of rights and women. This is now time for action, in fact, the UN has been marking the 10 years for the protection of rights and women and we are dealing with actions now.”
