The Executive Director of Songtaba, a women’s rights advocacy group, Lamnatu Adam, says the conviction of two suspects involved in the lynching of 90-year-old Akua Denteh at Kafaba in the Savannah Region will serve as a deterrent to others.
“Once we serve perpetrators with a sentence for their actions, it will deter people. It might not be the end of it, because this is a deep-seated cultural issue. So, we cannot rule out the role that communities need to play, and even our chiefs and elders need to play, towards very vulnerable people in our society. But this will be a deterrent to others,” she added.
Her remarks follow the conviction of Hajia Mohammed Serena and Latifa Bomaye to 12 years in prison over the murder of 90-year-old Akua Denteh at Kafaba in the Savannah Region by the Tamale High Court.
Speaking in an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM in Accra on Tuesday, Ms. Adam said her organization is excited about the judgment and that it is something the judiciary should be applauded for.
“I think that we, as a human rights organization, are quite excited about the judgment because it is something that we have followed up on several times. It has been three years, but at long last, we have had judgment today. I think that is something we can applaud the judiciary for,” she stated.
On July 23, 2020, Akua Denteh was lynched over witchcraft accusations. Police arrested seven people, including the chief of the Kafaba community, Seidu Yahaya.
The two suspects, Hajia Serena Mohammed and Latifa Bomaye, were charged with attempted murder and murder.
However, the other accused persons, Haruna Aness, 34, Issifa Tanko, 35, Issifa Sachibu, 32, Shaibu Muntala, 29, and Sulemana Ali, 35, were acquitted after the Regional Attorney General’s Department legally advised the police to do so.