Criminalizing Witchcraft Accusations in Ghana: Prospects, Limits, and the Logic of Deterrence

Introduction The question of whether the criminalization of witchcraft accusations would have any meaningful impact in Ghana requires careful and systematic analysis. At present, witchcraft accusations are largely non-criminal, meaning there are no specific laws prohibiting individuals from accusing others of being witches. As a result, those who make such accusations do not face arrest,…

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Posthumous Treatment of Accused Witches in Ghana

In many Ghanaian communities, accusations of witchcraft generate intense moral outrage and social hostility. Persons believed to be malevolent witches are frequently subjected to verbal abuse, physical assault, forced displacement, and, in extreme cases, extrajudicial killing (Adinkrah, 2004, 2015). Crucially, however, the sanctioning of alleged witches does not necessarily terminate at biological death. Rather, death…

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