- The case was withdrawn following a request from the prosecutor
- Reports suggest that pressure from traditional, religious, and political leaders played a role in the decision to withdraw the case
- All nine individuals initially arrested in connection with the case have been released
The legal proceedings involving five pastors and four additional individuals from the Adaboya community, who had accused 61-year-old Ayidaana Abotisei of witchcraft, have been officially withdrawn from the Bongo District Court.
On August 15, the police prosecutor handling the case requested its dismissal. The prosecutor informed the court that the complainant, Joseph Azubire Aduko, who is Abotisei’s son, sought the withdrawal due to familial connections with some of the accused. The court approved the request.
Although Aduko has remained silent about the reasons behind the withdrawal, Asaase News has reported that pressure from local traditional, religious, and political leaders may have influenced the decision. Anonymous sources within the community expressed that dropping the case could foster peace and unity in the region.
All nine individuals initially arrested in relation to the case have been released. The future for Ayidaana Abotisei, her son Joseph Aduko, and their family remains uncertain.
Previously, Aduko, a physician assistant at Builsa South District Hospital, recounted that on July 25, 2024, he learned that his mother was accused of witchcraft by an unidentified woman who had sought prayers from a group of pastors.
Despite initially believing the matter would resolve without further issues, Aduko was alarmed when his mother was forcibly taken to a community in Burkina Faso to confess. She was later brought to the Adaboya chief’s palace, where Aduko and the Ghana Police Service faced significant challenges in rescuing her.
