Stoning women: Speaker asks 'Leadership' to meet ‘Sharia MP’

Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho has tasked the Leadership of the House to take up the ‘adulterous wives’ stoning and hanging’ matter involving Daboya/Makarigu Legislator Nelson Abudu Baani.

The northern MP last week Thursday proposed that a law be passed by the House to include stoning to death and hanging as punishment for adulterous wives.

He made the suggestion during deliberations on the intestate succession bill. Baani argued that it was unfair for an adulterous wife to inherit her husband who dies intestate without that spouse getting punished for her unfaithfulness.

In his view, stoning to death and hanging would be appropriate sanctions for such a moral infraction, even though adultery is not a crime in Ghana’s laws.

The House discussed the MP’s proposal Tuesday even though it was not one of the items tabled for the business of the day. Adjaho asked the Majority and Minority Leaders to meet Baani over the matter and later report to him on their deliberations.

Deputy Majority Leader Alfred Agbesi apologised on behalf of the NDC MP. Meanwhile, Tema West MP Irene Naa Torshie Addo said on the floor of the House that it was inappropriate for anyone to propose punishment for adulterous women, since, according to her, men also produce children outside their marriages.

Baani was not in the Chamber as of the time the issue was being discussed on the floor. He later popped into the Chamber after that discussion was over. STARR FM’s Parliamentary Correspondent Kobby Gomez Mensah reports that Baani was held in a meeting with the Deputy Majority Chief whip as of the time his proposal was being discussed on the floor.