Tenkodogo Court Sentences Three to 12 Months for Witchcraft Accusations

Tenkodogo – In a notable legal decision, the Tenkodogo High Court sentenced three individuals, including the heads of Youga and Zoaga, to 12 months in prison, suspended, on December 14, 2023. The sentencing was for their involvement in witchcraft accusations.

According to Burkina Information Agency, which deals with criminal matters, handed down its verdict after finding the heads of Youga, Zoaga, and Y.T. guilty. Another accused, O.T., was acquitted due to the unconstitutionality of the offense. Alongside their suspended prison terms, the convicts were ordered to pay a fine of 250,000 CFA francs to the public prosecutor’s office.

Additionally, they were jointly instructed to compensate each of the two victims in the witchcraft accusation case with a sum of 2,715,000 CFA francs. The court stipulated that the convicts have a six-month period to fulfill this payment, failing which they will be required to serve the remaining six months in Tenkodogo Prison and Correction.

The court also noted that the convicts have a 15-day window to file an appeal if they find the decision unsatisfactory.

During the hearing on November 30, 2023, the Faso prosecutor at the Tenkodogo high court had proposed a fine of 1 million CFA francs and a one-year prison sentence for the accused. The counsel for the civil party had sought compensation exceeding 10 million CFA francs for each of their clients, citing moral and economic damages.

The case, initially presented on November 30, 2023, involved four individuals accused of witchcraft against a man and a woman, leading to this significant legal outcome.