The National Chief Imam has waded into the confusion surrounding a report about an alleged decision by a deputy imam of Akyem Tafo to have a pregnant woman flogged in public.
The 23-year-old widow, according to a Daily Graphic report had been sentenced to public flogging for becoming pregnant while observing the mandated period of living in solitude for four months referred to as Ida upon the death of her husband.
The Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Armeyaw Shaibu, in a statement on the subject stated that Islamic law is not applicable in Ghana and so such a pronouncement as attributed to the deputy chief imam of Akyem Tafo in the Eastern Region was inappropriate and illegal.
“We do not have the legislative authority to make such pronouncements. Let us avoid pronouncements which have the tendency to create confusion,” he said.
Even in Islamic jurisdictions, he said the Khadi acting as the magistrate in an Islamic court is the appropriate person to make such judgments. “In the absence of such a person it is the Imam of the community who should be making it and not a deputy imam as being noticed in the Akyem Tafo setting,” he said.
The chief imam has in view of the developments asked the police to monitor the situation with a view to intervening where necessary as he also appealed to the public to be calm.
By A.R. Gomda
Via: -Daily Guide
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