A 31-year-old painter, Fia Foli Philip, has been fined GH¢1,200 by the Hohoe Magistrate Court for verbally abusing his neighbour by calling her a witch and making other defamatory remarks.
The court, presided over by Joseph Y. Kunsong, also ordered the convict to pay GH¢5,000 as compensation to the complainant and directed that he must never refer to her as a witch again.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Charles Aziati urged the court to impose a severe punishment on the accused to serve as a deterrent to others, particularly those who target elderly women with witchcraft allegations.
He described such behaviour as “intolerable and deviant from our culture.”
According to a myjoyonline.com report dated June 2, 2025, the incident occurred on December 28, 2021, when Fia Foli stood opposite the complainant’s house and hurled insults at her.
He accused her of being a witch and blamed her for the death of one Musa.
He further insulted her, saying her flesh was “bitter” and warned her not to attempt to harm him.
The complainant, who was in the house with her physically challenged daughter at the time, reported the matter to the police at Gbi-Bla, leading to the arrest and subsequent prosecution of the accused.
The court’s decision has been welcomed by community members and rights advocates, who view it as a positive step toward curbing harmful and defamatory accusations, especially those rooted in superstition and cultural stigma.
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