A Cross River State High Court sitting in Calabar has sentenced Ubong Badsey Etim to death by hanging for the murder of his 16-year-old daughter, Deborah Etim, who had Down syndrome.
Justice Blessing Egwu, who delivered the judgment, found Etim guilty of murder after it was established that he falsely accused his daughter of witchcraft because of her disability before killing her.
Reacting to the verdict, counsel and co-founder of the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, Barrister James Ibor, described the judgment as a landmark in the fight against witchcraft branding and other harmful practices targeting children, especially those living with disabilities.
He said Deborah’s death underscored the devastating consequences of false witchcraft accusations, noting that many children have suffered rejection, abuse, abandonment, and death as a result of such beliefs.
According to Ibor, the judgment sends a strong message that those who commit crimes against children under the guise of witchcraft accusations will face the full weight of the law.
He added that the ruling not only delivers justice for Deborah but also reaffirms every child’s fundamental right to life, dignity, and protection, regardless of disability.
