A Cross River High Court sitting 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, who had Down syndrome and was falsely accused of being a witch.
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Justice Blessing Egwu of High Court No. 11 delivered the judgment on Friday finding Etim guilty of murder and ordering that he be executed by hanging.
The court heard that the incident occurred on February 15, 2025, when Deborah was killed after being branded a witch, a case that sparked outrage among child rights advocates and organisations campaigning against witchcraft branding.
