A High Court in Calabar has sentenced a 51-year-old apostle, Ubong Bassey Etim, to death by hanging for the murder of his 16-year-old daughter, Deborah Bassey.
Justice Blessing Egwu of High Court No. 11 delivered the judgment in suit No. HC/54C/2025, State v. Ubong Bassey Etim, after finding Etim guilty of the offence.
Deborah, who had Down syndrome, was reportedly falsely accused of being a witch before she was killed on February 15, 2025. The case has sparked renewed concern over the branding of vulnerable children as witches and the abuse of persons living with disabilities.
The Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI), which supported the prosecution, described the judgment as a landmark victory for child protection and justice.
Speaking after the verdict, the organisation’s Principal Counsel, James Ibor, said the ruling affirmed every child’s right to life, dignity and protection.
He said the judgment sends a strong message that witchcraft-related violence against children is a criminal offence and that perpetrators will face the full weight of the law.
Ibor noted that Deborah’s death highlighted the dangers of witchcraft accusations, particularly against children with disabilities, who often face abuse, rejection, abandonment and even death.
He pledged that the organisation would continue its campaign against witchcraft branding and child abuse across Cross River State.
The lawyer also commended the Director of Public Prosecutions, Okoi Ukam, prosecuting counsel Patrick Usang and Deborah Tom, Dr. David Ushie of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, the Nigeria Police Force, the Cross River State Attorney General, Etubom Ededem Ani, and the judiciary for their roles in securing the conviction.
The judgment adds to a growing number of convictions in Cross River State involving violence linked to witchcraft accusations, as advocates continue to push for stronger enforcement of child protection laws and greater public awareness to end the stigmatisation of children, especially those living with disabilities.
