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The Ark Foundation Ghana has condemned the gruesome murder of the 90-year-old woman identified as Akua Denteh at Kafaba in the East Gonja Municipality after she was accused of being a witch.

The foundation described the incident reported by the media on Thursday, July 23, 2020 as barbaric and observed that it consisted of several infractions of the legal and human rights of the deceased.

A statement released by the foundation listed wrongful accusation of practising witchcraft, verbal abuse and intimidation, severe assault and battery, murder and bystanders who by their inaction abetted the murder of the innocent woman as some of the inhumane treatment suffered by the 90-year-old woman.

"As an organisation concerned with the safety and protection of women, the Ark Foundation calls on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure swift action towards the apprehension of the direct perpetrators of the brutal act and the bystanders and bring them before the law courts," it said.

The foundation also called on the Commission on Human rights and Administrative Justice to work hard to educate the public against such human rights violations.

It called on the commission to focus on especially human rights violations that emanated from deep-seated negative cultural norms and practices, many of which undermined the protection of women’s human rights in the country.

"Violence against women, no matter who perpetrated it, is still a human right violation and must be treated as such," it said.

Additionally, the foundation called on traditional authorities and community leaders to act swiftly as law-abiding citizens when such acts were being perpetrated within their communities.

"Traditional authorities and leaders should desist from shielding people who perpetrate such barbaric and inhuman acts and report them to the police for the law to take its cause," the statement said.

The Ark  Foundation said it considered the act as an act of mob (in)justice and murder and called upon the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Ministry of Justice, Ministry for the Interior and relevant institutions to work together to ensure that justice was done and done swiftly.

Ark Foundation condemns murder of 90-year-old woman

The 90-year-old woman was accused alongside her daughter Mahama Memuna of being witches.

A fetish priest is alleged to have ordered for a trial by ordeal and finally pronounced Akua Denteh a witch.

Following the pronouncement, the old woman was subject to severe beatings by a man identified only as Tanko and some others who are yet to be identified, until she became unconscious and died.

The incident was later reported to the Salaga police, who have since sent the body to the Tamale Teaching Hospital.