The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu, has given assurance that government will stop at nothing to find the perpetrators in the lynching of Safura Imoro and Mba Cherefo at Zakpalsi in the Mion district of the northern region.
“I can assure you that even if the families are no longer interested to pursue the matter, the government will continue with its investigations and prosecute all those who were involved in the killing of these innocent people.
“You cannot kill someone and go away freely. We will find those responsible for this act even if it will take us years to apprehend them,” she assured.
The Minister made these remarks during an interaction with the Chief and people of Zakpalsi when she paid a working visit to the farming community last Thursday.
The Minister said such barbaric and atrocious act cannot be swept under the carpet; therefore, the Ghana Police Service will investigate the matter and individuals found culpable would be made to face the full rigors of the law.
“The laws of Ghana frown upon killing of people on suspicion of witchcraft and I want to tell you (people of Zakpalsi) that is not the end of the matter. The laws will be applied squarely and anyone found guilty – be it an elder, youth, man or woman, such persons will face justice,” she fumed.
The deceased persons, Safura Imoro, 40, a mother of seven children and Mba Cherefo, an elderly person, were accused of being behind the illness of a woman in the community.
Following the death of the woman, an irate youth in the community besiege the Chief palace where Safura Imoro was seeking refuge and allegedly killed her. They also attacked Mba Cherefo and lynched him too at his residence.
Hajia Lariba Abudu intimated the actions of the irate youth was disrespectful and undermines the authority of the community Chief.
“We learnt this is not the first time such an act is perpetuated in this community; we understand that this is your usual habit of attacking people accused of witchcraft,” the Minister bemoaned.
Plea
The families of the deceased Safura Imoro and Mba Cherefo are demanding justice and have thus made a passionate appeal to the government to ensure some thorough investigations into the incident and prosecution of the culprits.
Meanwhile, the Minister last week embarked on a two-day tour of the North East and Northern Regions to interact with the Nayiri, Naa Mahami Abdulai Shariga and Ya Naa Abukari II, the overlords of Mamprugu and Dagbon respectively to assist the government to sensitize their subjects against the persistent killing of people accused of witchcraft.
The two traditional leaders both condemned such acts and promised to support the government to finding last solutions to the incidence of witchcraft accusations in the area.
