Ritualistic activities and ritual murders seem to be on the rise in Ghana. Yesterday I referred to some recent cases. However, ritual killings are nothing new in this West African country, as the Ghana Web article of August 29 (presented below) illustrates.
I have reported earlier on ritual murders in Ghana, covering the 2006 – 2012 period, with more than 30 reported ritual murders between 2006 and 2012, and also including a ritual murder case dating back as far as 1944. And, of course, one of the most notorious ritual murder cases in recent times is the Kasoa murder case.
Regrettably, most links to the articles on ritual murders of the 2006-2012 period (referred to above) have disappeared. It is for this reason that I’ve changed methods on the present site where I am including an exact copy of the articles mentioned reporting ritual murder cases (‘copy-paste’). In respect of the source used I am always including a reference to the source and the author of the article(s).
Soon more developments in the ongoing trial of the accused ritual murderers in the Kasoa ritual murder case, two teenagers (webmaster FVDK).
Ritual killings for human parts: these cases have shaken Ghana since the 1980s
Dr. Beckley was notorious for being involved in many ritual killings
Published: August 29, 2021 By: Ghana Web
The 1980s killings:
Charles Ebo Quansah, The Strangler The following two sections report on a notorious serial killer and not on ritual murders and have for this reason been deleted by the webmaster (FVDK).
History of Dr. Beckley – The occultist who sent fears down the spine of everyone in Ghana Screenshot. You may watch the video on YouTube by clicking here
More on these ritual killings in tomorrow’s posting (FVDK).
To better understand the following reports I will first provide some background information on the phenomenon of ‘Ngozi’, or avenging spirits, in the Shona community.
“In Shona cosmology, once “ngozi” is committed, it has to be recompensed in order for restorative justice to occur between individuals, families, and the community in general. However, failure to appease “ngozi” results in inexplicable misfortunes such as sicknesses or eventual death or deaths of the person or persons who would have committed the “ngozi.”
Also, Timothy Myambo is the author of an interesting book on Ngozi, entitled ‘A Biblical Evaluation of the Avenging Spirits (Ngozi): A case of the Shona people of Zimbabwe‘ (2010) which is also useful for better understanding the phenomenon. This is what he says about ‘Ngozi’, the avenging spirits:
The main reason for posting here a case of ‘ngozi’ forces – the first article below, entitled ‘Castration the ultimate price for ngozi‘ – is because it relates to a ritual murder committed nearly 30 years ago. Subsequently, in order to demonstrate that this case is not an isolated case of ‘avenging spirits’, I have added a second, recent case, however, not related to a murder for ritual purposes. Ngozi forces are not limited to avenge a ritual murder. A third case, presented here, again refers to ngozi seeking to avenge a ritual murder, committed some 45 years ago (in 2013, when the case was reported).
A fourth case, ‘Ngozi Haunts Marange Family‘ (dated March 6, 2021), allegedly refers to a ritual murder too. Unfortunately, the page is not accessible for technical reasons. As soon as it will be restored I will include the corresponding link here.
To conclude here a final remark: I do not pretend to know more about ‘ngozi’ than the average reader. Therefor, I have no opinion or judgement on this phenomenon. The focus of this site is on ritualistic activities based on superstition and motivated by an unstoppable greed for power or wealth and which are a violation of people’s human rights.That’s why I am presenting these reports.
Warning: the following articles contain graphic details which may disturb the readers.(webmaster FVDK).
Castration the ultimate price for ngozi
Published: February 26, 2021 By: The Manica Post – Tendai Gukutikwa, Post Correspondent
Four Marange families are at the mercy of an avenging spirit that is allegedly castrating its victims and killing them soon afterwards.
The avenging spirit is now demanding 50 beasts as compensation from the five families.
The Manica Post understands that male members from the Mukanjari, Denga, Ndova and Mauchaza families who have fallen victim to the avenging spirit woke up with blisters all over their bodies.
Suddenly their private parts fell off, leading to their instant deaths.
The spirit of Ruwizhi Makondo Mashato, who was allegedly murdered 29 years ago, is claiming that this is how he was killed by members of the aforementioned families.
Through manifestations on various members of the families, Mashato claims that his private organs were chopped off by his five neighbours before his head was cut off for ritual purposes.
His body was later dumped in a well.
Two of the alleged murderers – Dunmore Mukanjari and Dorcus Ndova – are still alive; while the rest – Manzinde Denga, Godfrey Denga and Agnes Mauchaza are now dead.
Mauchaza committed suicide a few years ago after being tormented by Mashato’s spirit.
The matter has since spilled into Chief Marange’s court and Mukanjari has confessed that he did take part in Mashato’s murder.
Ndova, however, insists that she had nothing to do with the murder. She says she only witnessed the crime.
However, the avenging spirit claims that Ndova held the dish that collected his blood as the gruesome murder was being committed in 1992.
Speaking to The Manica Post, Dorcas Ndova’s nephew Takesure Chadambuka said his family is going through hell due to Mashato’s avenging spirit.
“We need her (Ndova) to address this issue as a matter of urgency before we perish like the Denga family. The Denga homestead has been turned into a grave yard.
“Manzinde Denga and his son Godfrey were part of the gang that murdered Mashato. It is so scary because we do not know who is next. My brother died last year in December because of this avenging spirit,” said Chadambuka.
Following Mukanjari’s confession, Chief Marange said the matter needs to be handed over to the police.
“In matters like these, both the traditional and criminal courts should be involved. The perpetrators need to appease the avenging spirit and serve jail terms upon their conviction,” said the traditional leader.
Veresy Mutungwazi, who married into the Mukanjari family, said she has lost five children to the avenging spirit.
She said her late sons all woke up feeling weak and with blisters all over their bodies.
Their private organs fell off before their sudden deaths.
“I am only left with two children and I fear for their lives if nothing is done. I pray that someone will knock some sense into my father-in-law’s head so that he appeases this spirit. It is not fair to lose my children because of someone’s evil deeds.
“After my first child’s death, we all thought he had succumbed to a rare disease. But eyebrows were raised when the next child died in the same manner a few months later. After the death of my second child, Mashato’s spirit began manifesting and revealing all these details. The spirit has threatened to wipe off the entire Mukanjari family unless it is appeased,” said Mutungwazi.
Mercy Nyaude, who also married into the Mukanjari family, said two of her children have also died in the same manner.
“Some of the family members died after bleeding from their private organs. Their private organs were mysteriously chopped off, and then they died.
“Mashato’s spirit says he suffered excruciating pain when his private organ were cut off by his murderers, hence all the victims should go through the same ordeal.
“The avenging spirit is also targeting our livestock and most of our cattle and goats are now blind. Some of the livestock’s sexual reproductive organs also mysteriously disappeared,” said Nyaude.
Chief Marange said some of Mashato’s remains was recovered from the well it had been dumped for proper burial.
However, Mashato’s son, Harrison, claims his family never received their late father’s remains for re-burial.
“I do not know where the remains were put when they were retrieved as I was very young then. We never buried my father’s remains. In fact, he is also manifesting in our family asking for closure on the case through a proper burial,” said Harrison.
The chief is also unaware of how the remains were handled as he was not yet in office when they were retrieved from the well.
“I hear it took them three days to find some of my father’s remains. These men and women were our neighbours and we never suspected that they had a hand in our father’s disappearance,” said Harrison.
Related article (based on the previous article in The Manica Post):
Horror As Marange Avenging Spirit Castrates Killers’ Family Members
Distressed man (File photo)
Published: March 1, 2021 By: iHarare, Zimbabwe – Tim E. Ndoro
In what reads like the script from a Nollywood ‘African Movie,’ an angry avenging spirit, Ngozi in local parlance, is reported to be castrating and killing family members of the alleged killers.
iHarare has learned from the Manica Post that the avenging spirit is haunting four families from the Marange area in Manicaland. According to reports, the Ngozi is affecting the male members of the Mukanjari, Denga, Ndova and Mauchaza families. Those who are unfortunate to be attacked, are reported to have developed blisters all over their bodies. Once the blisters break out, their private parts mysteriously fall off and they die.
According to the families of those affected, the avenging spirit belongs to Ruwizhi Makondo Mashato who was allegedly murdered by members of the four families for ritual purposes in 1992. Mashato’s private parts were allegedly chopped off first before his head was decapitated by five of his neighbours.
Those who have been privy to the mysterious events claim that the avenging spirit said that Mashato felt excruciating pain when his privates were cut off. Because of this, all the victims of the avenging spirit must also feel the pain of losing their privates before they die.
Mashato’s avenging spirit is demanding 50 beasts as compensation from the four families.
The neighbours who are alleged to have killed Mashato 29 years ago are Manzinde Denga and his son Godfrey Denga, Agnes Mauchaza, Dunmore Mukanjari and Dorcus Ndova. Only the last two, Mukanjari and Ndova are still alive. Mauchaza is said to have committed suicide after being tormented by the Ngozi.
Mukanjari already confessed to the murder when he appeared before traditional leader Chief Marange. Ndova on the other hand disputed taking part in the murder. She is claiming that she only witnessed the event but did not participate. The avenging spirit, on the other hand, is saying Ndova is the one who held the dish that was used to collect his blood during the horrific murder.
One of Dorcas Ndova’s relatives Takesure Chadambuka is begging his aunt to come clean on the matter. Chadambuka told the Manica Post:
“We need her (Ndova) to address this issue as a matter of urgency before we perish like the Denga family. The Denga homestead has been turned into a graveyard.
“Manzinde Denga and his son Godfrey were part of the gang that murdered Mashato. It is so scary because we do not know who is next. My brother died last year in December because of this avenging spirit,”
Veresy Mutungwazi, who married into the Mukanjari family told the publication that she has already lost 5 children to the avenging spirit.
“I am only left with two children and I fear for their lives if nothing is done. I pray that someone will knock some sense into my father-in-law’s head so that he appeases this spirit. It is not fair to lose my children because of someone’s evil deeds.
“After my first child’s death, we all thought he had succumbed to a rare disease. But eyebrows were raised when the next child died, in the same manner, a few months later. After the death of my second child, Mashato’s spirit began manifesting and revealing all these details. The spirit has threatened to wipe off the entire Mukanjari family unless it is appeased,” said Mutungwazi.
Following Mukanjari’s confession, Chief Marange said that the police need to be involved as well.
“In matters like these, both the traditional and criminal courts should be involved. The perpetrators need to appease the avenging spirit and serve jail terms upon their conviction,” said the traditional leader.
Mashato’s son, Harrison commented on the matter saying,
“I hear it took them three days to find some of my father’s remains. These men and women were our neighbours and we never suspected that they had a hand in our father’s disappearance,”
Drama As Avenging Spirit Demands 5 Virgins, 75 Cattle…36 Years After Businessman Was Murdered
Avenging Spirit Demands 5 Virgins, 75 Cattle…36 Years Later
The late businessman, Costa Kafikira (Image Credit: The Manica Post/ The Weekender/ Zimpapers Digital)
Published: December 12, 2020 By: iHarare, Zimbabwe – Vincent Masikati
The biblical phrase, “the sins of the fathers shall be visited upon the sons” has become a dark reality for five families from Nyanga as an avenging spirit is demanding compensation for a murder that was committed 36 years ago. The avenging spirit (Ngozi) is demanding 75 head of cattle as well as 5 virgins.
iHarare has learned from the Manica Post that the avenging spirit of the late businessman Costa Kafikira is seeking justice from the families of the 5 men who allegedly murdered him. Kafikira is alleged to have been killed by his then neighbours, Willard Sakupwanya, Charles Fombe, Tsakadzai Mautsi and Tambuzwa Matseketsa in 1984. The fifth neighbour has been identified only as Benyu.
The five are alleged to have conspired to murder Kafikira by poisoning his alcohol. They then robbed him of his valuables and dumped his body near the Gairezi River. All of the alleged perpetrators are now late except for Charles Fombe.
Kafikira’s spirit is now manifesting on Tambudzwa Matseketsa’s daughter-in-law, Riona. Riona is reported to be now dressing and speaking like the late Kafikira.
Riona Matseketsa dressed like the late businessman Costa Kafikira who is reported to be manifesting on her
Kafikira’s nephew Paul Dzinduwa narrated how his uncle had been brutally murdered.
“When my uncle left home the day he was last seen, he was dressed in the clothes Riona came wearing.
“We searched for him for years and could not find him. What hurts most is that the killers were part of the search team back then. They would mislead us knowing very well where they had dumped my uncle’s remains.”
On the issue of compensation, Dzinduwa said that his family would abide by the laws of the land and not accept the 5 virgins as the giving of a virgin girl for purposes of ‘kuripa Ngozi’ is a criminal offence in Zimbabwe. Dzinduwa, however, said, that the family is quite happy to accept the 75 head of cattle.
“The spirit is demanding a virgin and 15 beasts from each of the perpetrators’ families, thereby making it five girls and 75 beasts. We, however, stand guided by the laws of the land when it comes to compensation or appeasement of avenging spirits. We know that the appeasement of avenging spirits with girls, women or any human being was outlawed. All we pray for is justice to prevail so that our uncle rests in peace. We need justice.”
The Matseketsa family said that the matter needed to be dealt with urgently because their family members are dying in mysterious circumstances while others are battling for their lives. The late Matseketsa’s son, only identified as Matseketsa reinforced the point saying,
“We need to appease the avenging spirit and be at peace with the Kafikiras”
The other four families are yet to approach the Kafikira family.
The previous article was based on an article in The Manica Post, dated December 11, 2020:
Ngozi demands 5 virgins, 75 cattle
Nicholas Kafikira, the late businessman’s eldest son
Published: December 11, 2020 By: The Manica Post – Tendai Gukutikwa, Post Correspondent
In a case that has left a Nyanga family at sixes and sevens, it is alleged that the avenging spirit of a businessman who was robbed and murdered by his five neighbours 36 years ago is demanding five virgins and 75 beasts as appeasement.
lt is said Costa Kafikira’s spirit is accusing his then neighbours in Tombo Village under Chief Saunyama — Willard Sakupwanya, Charles Fombe, Tsakadzai Mautsi, Tambuzwa Matseketsa and a Benyu of poisoning his alcohol, robbing and murdering him before dumping his body near Gairezi River.
Four of the alleged murderers are now late, save for Fombe.
Kafikira’s family says they stand guided by the laws of the land and will not accept human beings as appeasement for his loss of life.
They, however, will accept the 75 beasts.
The late businessman, Costa Kafikira
Said Kafikira’s nephew, Paul Dzinduwa, in an interview with The Weekender: “The spirit is demanding a virgin and 15 beasts from each of the perpetrators’ families, thereby making it five girls and 75 beasts. We, however, stand guided by the laws of the land when it comes to compensation or appeasement of avenging spirits. We know that the appeasement of avenging spirits with girls, women or any human being was outlawed. All we pray for is justice to prevail so that our uncle rests in peace. We need justice.”
It is said the avenging spirit is manifesting on Matseketsa’s daughter-in-law — Riona — who now dresses and speaks like the late Kafikira.
All this was revealed when the Matseketsa family recently approached the Kafikiras to chart the way forward.
Riona was clad in a pair or grey trousers, a red shirt and a tie. Kafikira’s relatives said the outfit resembles the clothes that Kafikira was last seen wearing.
Riona Matseketsa
“When my uncle left home the day he was last seen, he was dressed in the clothes Riona came wearing,” said Dzinduwa.
Kafikira was murdered in 1984 and his remains were discovered by herd boys three years later near Gairezi River.
His family identified him by his metal identity card and the family heirloom belt that was found near his skeleton.
“We searched for him for years and could not find him. What hurts most is that the killers were part of the search team back then. They would mislead us knowing very well where they had dumped my uncle’s remains,” said Dzinduwa.
The Matseketsas claimed that their family members are dying in unclear circumstances, while some are battling for their lives.
A Nyanga traditional healer, Sekuru Shingirai Mukotsanjera, advised them to appease Kafikira’s avenging spirit.
“Four family members have already died and the avenging spirit keeps telling us that more woes will befall the family. It is said my late father was one of Kafikira’s assailants and we cannot deny or accept the claim since he is now late. But if it is true, we are wallowing in poverty because of my father’s transgression.
“We need to appease the avenging spirit and be at peace with the Kafikiras,” narrated the late Matseketsa’s son, only identified as Matseketsa.
Kafirika’s eldest son, Nicholas Kafikira, said he was deprived of his father’s love and care by the killers as his father was murdered while he was still in his youth.
The matter is yet to be brought before Chief Saunyama’s court.
Kafikira said his family will take the matter to the chief’s court when the remaining four families approach them.
Published by The Manica Post on March 1, 2013, as reported by Ray Bande on Facebook
AFTER being murdered for ritual purposes by her husband almost 45 years ago, a Nyanga woman is now demanding reparations from her husband’s Mandikonza family in Nyanga.
The Mandikonza and Mavhunga families were left stunned at Chief Saunyama’s court in Nyatate area of Nyanga North last Friday when a female teenager possessed with the spirit of the late Tanganza Mavhunga demanded reparations and threatened to ruthlessly deal with the Mandikonzas.
The late Tanganza, who was married to the late Jack Mandikonza, manifested herself through a female teenager as she chronicled how she was cold-bloodedly murdered by her husband.
All hell broke loose recently when the possessed teenager walked for more than 10km from her home and went straight to sit in the ruins of the homestead where the deceased Jack Mandikonza used to stay with his late wife, Tanganza.
As she narrated Tanganza’s ordeal at the hands of her husband during the court session last Friday, the possessed teenager pledged to show the Mavhunga and Manikonza families the shallow grave where her remains were buried by her late husband.
“My relatives, you ought to know what happened. One day I packed my clothes and went away from Jack Mandikonza’s homestead. “As I was walking, about a few metres from the homestead, Jack followed me. He grabbed my hand and demanded that we should go back home. I refused. Since it was dark, he instantly took a knife and cut the lower parts of my breasts and went on to cut off my private parts.
“My relatives, I beg you not to touch anything that belongs to the Mandikonzas. My husband’s brothers Cosmas, Webster, Lazarus and Oliver bought cars and livestock after they used my body parts for rituals. “I will wreck havoc very soon in the Mandikonza family and I plead with you my relatives not to touch anything that belongs to the Mandikonza family.“
When you are ready, I can guide you to the place where Jack buried me near Nyanga Downs between two big rocks. That is where I have been lying since Jack murdered me. They made a fortune out of my blood, but I will deal with them,” fumed the possessed teenager.
The deceased woman’s aunt, who also attended the court session last Friday, said Jack Mandikonza was the one who later approached the Mavhunga family saying his wife Tanganza had disappeared.
“We were made to believe that Tanganza disappeared. In fact, it was Jack, the husband, who came to our elders in the Mavhunga family, saying his wife was nowhere to be seen. However, our fathers did not accept it and have always suspected foul play.“
For years, we were made to believe that Tanganza eloped to a Malawian lover and never came back. However, it seems as if chickens are coming home to roost because several unexplainable things have been happening in our family. She (Tanganza) appeared in my dreams recently bitterly complaining about our (Mavhunga family)’s silence over her disappearance,” she said.
In his ruling, Chief Saunyama adjourned the matter to next Friday after summoning the Mandikonza family representatives.
This tribute to Salif Keita is long overdue. I first met this great Malian musician in Ségou, a regional capital city in south-central Mali in the early 1980s. With a big band of more than 20 musicians, Salif Keita performed in the open air court of a second-rate hotel in the outskirts of this modest city. It was a hot, humid Saturday night in August, 1984. We were in the middle of the rainy season. I was struck by the versatility of his music: African, Caribbean, Latin American, jazzy. He captivated the audience, all music lovers from Mali. I was the only white person in the crowd. From that day on, I was a passionate fan of this allround musician and singer.
I was also very much impressed by Salif Keita’s modesty. Greeting ceremonies in Mali are complicated and lengthy. One day, in the late 1980s, I was standing next to the reception desk in the lobby of (then) one of Mali’s most luxurious hotels – Hotel de l’Amitié in Bamako, the country’s capital – waiting for an appointment who was late. It was around 7:30 a.m. I saw Salif Keita stepping out of the elevator, walking towards the reception desk and greeting everyone behind the desk . When he was done he continued greeting the by-standers, including me. He took his time, he greeted everybody as if they were his brothers and sisters. Maybe they were, because in Mali many people are related – somehow, somewhere.
The third time I came face to face with Salif Keita was at the Africa festival in Hertme, the Netherlands, in 2013. Salif had become a middle-aged gentleman in his sixties, slightly corpulent, but his music was as brilliant as ever!
Salif Keita’s star will continue to shine, also after this retirement. As a person with albinism he has realized one of the most envied goals one can imagine. Millions have enjoyed his music – and still do. He is world famous. In the future he will continue to raise his voice against the discrimination of people living with albinism, against the murder and mutilation of innocent people, men, women, children, even babies who are being victimized because of their albinism. His last public performance was at a free concert on November 17 in Fana, in Mali, dedicated to the memory of Ramata Diarra, a five-year-old girl with albinism who was brutally murdered then mutilated in a ritual killing in May of this year. It will certainly not be the last time we’ve heard of Salif Keita. His struggle is our struggle. A luta continua! (webmaster FVDK)
Salif Keita retires, his Golden Voice falls silent
Malian afro-pop singer-songwriter Salif Keita. He is unique not only because of his reputation as the “Golden Voice of Africa” but because he has albinism and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita. FILE PHOTO | NMG
The great Malian musician Salif Keita, dubbed the “Golden Voice of Africa,” has announced his retirement from performing.
The 69-year-old Keita made the announcement after the release of, supposedly, the last album of his storied career. Titled Another White, it is a cry for the protection of people with albinism, a cause he has championed all his life.
Born into a local royal house, Keita was rejected by his family because of his albinism, considered either a sign of bad luck in many African cultures – or mysterious power, which drives the ritual killing of people with albinism.
In East Africa, Tanzania and Burundi are notoriously dangerous places to be a person with albinism.
Appropriately, Keita gave what could be his last major public performance at a free concert on November 17 in the town of Fana, in Mali, dedicated to the memory of Ramata Diarra, a five-year-old boy living with albinism who brutally murdered then mutilated in a ritual killing early in the year.
I am one of those Africans for whom Keita offered one of the defining sounds of our youthful years. There is something unique about Keita’s generation of musicians, along with other luminaries like Cameroonian saxophonist Manu Dibango, and Guinea’s Mory Kante, and on the more youthful end, Senegal’s Youssou N’dour, to name a few.
First, their music isn’t always overtly political, though it is. They sing in their native tongues, and draw heavily from folk imagery, local culture, history, and communal stories.
Probably as a result of that, they function like mediums, so bring a great ease to their art. It is almost annoying.
Some years ago, at an Africa arts festival in Copenhagen, over the course of a week I watched performances by Keita, N’dour, and Malian kora player Toumani Diabate one after another.
They mesmerised the crowds but Keita and Diabate especially barely broke a sweat. It was as if they could have still have pulled it off even if they were half asleep.
That was in stark contrast to watching the performances of Hugh Masekela or Fela Kuti, some of the most political musicians to have come out of Africa.
They laid into their music and its politics with incredible energy and fury that left you giddy with revolutionary spirit. Going to the street to protest oppression or the bush to join the rebellion, seemed to be the next logical step.
But it’s in that contrast that the music of Keita and others in his musical tribe reveals their relationship to the broader African liberation experience.
In the Cold War era, when music often ran into ideological walls, and the troubled 1970s and 1980s in Africa, Masekela and Kuti played to an internationalist solidarity crowd that had bought into the anti-apartheid and anti-imperialist movements, were angry at the World Order, and wanted to overthrow it.
People like Keita won over the fence-sitters, the ignorant, the soccer moms, and people of goodwill. They didn’t fit the stereotype of flame-throwing radicals, and thus lowered the cost of embracing progressive African causes in a polarised world.
Closer home, The Man, Congolese great Franco Luambo Makiadi, had a similar effortless genius.
One of the most accomplished musicians Africa will ever produce, on stage his massive figure seemed a strangely reluctant presence – until he opened his mouth and moved his guitar fingers.
Charles Onyango-Obbo is publisher of data visualiser Africapaedia and Rogue Chiefs. Twitter@cobbo3
