Francis Xavier Sosu, the principal proponent of the Criminal Offenses Amendment Bill 2023, has expressed his disappointment over the president's decision not to sign the legislation. In expressing his worries, Sosu emphasized that he believed the law was being manipulated politically at the expense of weaker women.
During an interview on JoyFM's Newsnight on Monday, December 18, 2023, Sosu expressed his reservations, implying that the president's actions prioritize politics over the protection of human rights, especially women's rights. This sentiment appeared linked to the welfare of vulnerable women possibly facing dire circumstances in various witch camps, questioning the president's stance on shielding their rights.
The Madina MP's remarks were sparked by President Akufo-Addo's decision to withhold assent to the bill, citing constitutional concerns related to Article 108. Sosu found this justification perplexing, given the president's previous endorsement of the bill in 2021 where he called for a bipartisan approach to its passage. This apparent shift in stance seemed particularly confounding to Sosu, given the involvement of the Attorney General and the completion of all legal processes.
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Sosu's disappointment became palpable as he highlighted the perceived prioritization of "petty partisanship" over the greater good of society and its human rights. He lamented the inconsistency in the president's disposition, recalling the president's prior assent to a similar bill in 2021, which abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes under the Criminal Offences Act. This juxtaposition led Sosu to question the coherence of the president's actions and express his sadness at the apparent neglect of societal well-being.
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President Akufo-Addo's earlier statement on December 4, citing certain constitutional concerns as grounds for his inability to sign crucial bills passed by Parliament into law—including the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill 2023 and the Armed Forces Amendment Bill 2023—underscored the broader context of Sosu's disappointment.
The latter bill sought to amend sections of Act 29 and the Armed Forces Act, 1962 (Act 105) to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment. Similarly, the Criminal Offences Amendment Bill 2023 aimed to prohibit the act of declaring, accusing, naming, or labeling an individual as a witch, among other related matters.
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