A manifesto for a skeptical Africa

Posted on December 3, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

The article presented below, written by the famous Nigerian human rights activist and humanist Dr. Leo Igwe, is a must-read. His manifesto is highly recommended to all readers. It is more than a reflection, it is more than a plea, it is more than a cry – for change or for understanding. As Dr. Igwe writes: “Africans must begin to think freely in order to ‘emancipate themselves from mental slavery’ and generate ideas that can ignite the flame of an African enlightenment.” And Dr. Igwe is not alone, he is not the only one who firmly believes this approach is the only way for Africa and Africans to move forward – as can be concluded from the list of African endorsers and other endorsers from around the world, presented at the end of his article.

Enough words written to recommend a piece that you shouldn’t miss! Enjoy the reading, and … spread the word!

PS Unfortunately, a few links in the original article are broken and/or not working properly (webmaster FVDK).

A Manifesto for a Skeptical Africa

What are the prospects for a more secular Africa, more skeptical Africa, more scientific Africa, i.e., a more humanistic Africa?

Published: December 2, 2023
Written By: Dr. Leo Igwe – Publshed By: Scott Douglas Jacobsen

For too long, African societies have been identified as superstitious, consisting of people who cannot question, reason or think critically. Dogma and blind faith in superstition, divinity and tradition are said to be the mainstay of popular thought and culture. African science is often equated with witchcraft and the occult; African philosophy with magical thinking, myth-making and mysticism, African religion with stone-age spiritual abracadabra, African medicine with folk therapies often involving pseudoscientific concoctions inspired by magical thinking. Science, critical thinking and technological intelligence are portrayed as Western — as opposed to universal — values, and as alien to Africa and to the African mindset. An African who thinks critically or seeks evidence and demands proofs for extraordinary claims is accused of taking a “white” or Western approach. An African questioning local superstitions and traditions is portrayed as having abandoned or betrayed the essence of African identity. Skepticism and rationalism are regarded as Western, un-African, philosophies. Although there is a risk of overgeneralizing, there are clear indicators that the continent is still socially, politically and culturally trapped by undue credulity.

Many irrational beliefs exist and hold sway across the region. These are beliefs informed by fear and ignorance, misrepresentations of nature and how nature works. These misconceptions are often instrumental in causing many absurd incidents, harmful traditional practices and atrocious acts. For instance, not too long ago, the police in Nigeria arrested a ‘robber’ goat which they said was a thief who suddenly turned to a goat. A Nigerian woman was reported to have given birth to a horse. In Zambia, a local school closed temporarily due to fears of witchcraft. In Uganda, there are claims of demonic attacks in schools across the country. Persecution and murder of alleged witches continue in many parts of the continent. Many Africans still believe that their suffering and misfortune are caused by witchcraft and magic. In Malawi, belief in witchcraft is widespread. Ritual killing and sacrifice of albinos and other persons with disabilities take place in many communities, and are motivated by paranormal belief. Across Africa people still believe in the potency and efficacy of juju and magic charms. Faith-based abuses are perpetrated with impunity. Jihadists, witch-hunters and other militants are killing, maiming and destroying lives and property. Other-worldly visions and dogmatic attitudes about the supernatural continue to corrupt and hamper attempts by Africans to improve their lives. Even with the continent’s ubiquitous religiosity, many African states are to be found at the bottom of the Human Development Index and on the top of the poverty, mortality and morbidity indices.

Recently Africa was polled as the most devout region in the world, and this includes deep devotion to the continent’s various harmful superstitions. Devoutness and underdevelopment, poverty, misery and superstition co-exist and co-relate. It should be said that the dominant religious faiths in the region are faiths alien to the continent. That means African Christians are more devout than Europeans whose missionaries brought Christianity to Africa. African Muslims are more devout than Muslims in the Middle East, whose jihadists and clerics introduced Islam to the region.

Meanwhile, whatever good these foreign belief systems may have brought to or done in Africa can only be unfavorably compared to the damage and darkness they have caused and are still causing in the region. Some paranormal or supernatural claims of the two main religions of Christianity and Islam are part of the factors holding Africans hostage. Most Africans cannot think freely or express their doubts openly because these religions have placed a huge price on freethinking and critical inquiry. Because these belief systems rely on paranormal claims themselves, Africans feel they cannot speak out against superstition as a whole, or they will be ostracized or even killed by religious zealots. Belief in demonic possession, faith healing, and the “restorative” power of holy water can have deadly consequences for believers and whole communities. Africans must reject superstitious indoctrination and dogmatization in public institutions. Africans need to adopt this cultural motto: Dare to think. Dare to doubt. Dare to question everything in spite of what the superstitious around you teach and preach.

Africans must begin to think freely in order to ‘emancipate themselves from mental slavery’ and generate ideas that can ignite the flame of an African enlightenment.

The two dominant religions have fantastic rewards for those who cannot think, the intellectually conforming, unquestioning and obedient, even those who kill or are killed furthering their dogmas. They need to be told that the skeptical goods — the liberating promises of skeptical rationality — are by far more befitting and more beneficent to Africans than imaginary rewards either in the here and now or in the hereafter. Today the African continent has become the new battleground for the forces of a dark age. And we have to dislodge and defeat these forces if Africa is to emerge, grow, develop and flourish. To some people, the African predicament appears hopeless. The continent seems to be condemned, doomed and damned. Africa appears to be in a fix, showing no signs of change, transformation and progress. An African enlightenment sounds like a pipe dream.

But I do not think this is the case — an African Age of Reason can be on the horizon! The fact is that there are many Africans who reason well and think critically. There are Africans who are skeptics and rationalists1. But active African skeptics are too few and far apart to form the critical mass the continent needs to experience a Skeptical Spring. Nonetheless, the momentum is building slowly and steadily. And one can say that an African skeptical awakening is in sight. As it is said: the darkest part of the night precedes the dawn. So there is no need to despair for humanity in Africa. There is every reason to be optimistic and hopeful. After all, Europe went through a very dark period in its history, in fact, a darker and more horrible phase than that which Africa is currently undergoing. Still the European continent survived to experience Enlightenment and modern civilization. Who ever thought that the Arab Spring would happen in our lifetime? So, African enlightenment can happen sooner than we expected. But it will not happen as a miracle. African enlightenment will not fall like manna from heaven. It requires — and will continue to require — hard work, efforts, sacrifice, courage and struggle by Africans and other friends who are committed to the values of enlightenment. In Europe, skeptics spoke out against harmful superstition, and unfounded dogma and caused the dawn of a new awakening. African skeptics need to speak out against the forces of dogma, irrationalism and superstition ravaging the continent. Skeptics need to organize and mobilize — online and offline — to further the cause of reason, science and critical thinking. They need to speak out in the media and to politicians about the harm resulting from undue credulity and challenge and confront the charlatans directly to put up or shut up. Skeptics can no longer afford to keep quiet or remain indifferent in the face of a looming dark age. They need to campaign for a reform of the educational system and encourage the teaching of critical thinking in schools.

Many charlatans operate out there in their communities. They ‘mine’ popular fears and anxieties, exploiting desperate, misinformed folks. We need to expose them and free our people from their bondage. African skeptics cannot remain passive and inactive and expect skeptical rationality to thrive and flourish or expect the forces of dogma and superstition to simply disappear. The situation requires active engagement by committed skeptics. That was how the much-talked-about skeptical tradition in the Western world was established and is sustained.

That is how we are going to build and leave a skeptical legacy for Africa.

This is a call to duty to all African skeptics in Africa and in the diaspora. History has thrust on us this critical responsibility which we must fulfill. Let us therefore marshal our will to doubt, to advance skepticism in the interest of Africa. Let us marshall other intellectual resources and cause this new dawn — this skeptical awakening to happen early in this 21st century.

African skeptics arise.

1 Skeptical and rationalist groups are gaining ground in Africa. Here are a few worth supporting:

African Endorsers

George Thindwa, Executive Director, Association for Secular Humanism, Malawi
Mandla Ntshakala, Activist, Swaziland
Jacques Rousseau, Lecturer, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Ebou Sohna, Gambia Secular Assembly, Gambia
Graham Knight, Humanist Association of Ghana, Accra Ghana
Olajide Akeredolu MD, Lagos, Nigeria
Jes Petersen, Director, Springboard Humanism, Botswana
Wilfred Makayi, Humanist Activist, Zambia
James Ibor, Attorney, Basic Rights Counsel, Calabar, Nigeria
Robert Bwambale, Founder & Executive Director, Kasese United Humanist Association,
Uganda
Kato Mukasa, HALEA, Kampala, Uganda

Other Endorsers from Around The World

James Randi, Founder, James Randi Educational Foundation, USA
Michael Shermer, Executive Director, Skeptics Society, USA
Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, USA
D.J. Grothe, President, James Randi Educational Foundation, USA
Paul Kurtz, Founder, Institute for Science and Human Values, USA
Toni Van Pelt, Policy Director, Institute for Science and Human Values
Hemant Mehta, Blogger, Friendly Atheist
Susan Sackett, Writer and Vice President of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, USA
Sonja Eggerickx President, International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), Belgium
Josh Kutchinsky, founder and co-moderator Hummay, International Humanists
Support egroup
Ophelia Benson, Author and Blogger, USA
Guy P. Harrison, Writer, USA
Ike Francis, Human Rights Activist, USA
Lorann Sims-Nsimba, Africa Awake Freethought Alliance, USA
Matt Cherry, International Representative, International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU)
Bob Churchill – International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), UK
Norm Allen, International Outreach Director, Institute for Science and Human Values, USA
Dr Bill Cooke, Director of International Programs for the Center for Inquiry, USA
Canberra Skeptics Inc, Australia
Australian Skeptics (Victorian Branch)
John Perkins, The Secular Party of Australia

More signatories to be added in the future.

Source: A Manifesto for a Skeptical Africa

Botswana: President Masisi condemns ritual killings and mob justice

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

The relations between modern politics and politicians on the one hand and tribal chieftainship (bogosi) and tribal leaders (dikgosi, plural of kgosi) on the other constitute an interactive world and are not undisputed, Botswana President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi was told at a kgotla meeting in Lerala on November 27. President Masisi urged politicians to desist from interfering in bogosi issues and urged dikgosi not to get involved in politics.
At the same occasion President Masisi warned against ‘jungle justice’, as had happened in Molepolole where citizens went on the rampage following the discovery of the body of a victim of a suspected ritual murder. He plainly condemned the recent suspected ritual killing incidents and arson that occurred in Molepolole. Read the full article below for the details.
(webmaster FVDK)

President Mokgweetsi Masisi condemns ritual killings and mob justice

Published: November 28, 2023
By: Portia Rapitsenyane – Botswana Daily News

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has condemned the recent suspected ritual killing incidents and arson that occurred in Molepolole.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Lerala yesterday, he said incidents of suspected ritual killings and burning of properties disrupted peace and stability in the country. He said these unfortunate occasions must stop and cautioned the community against taking the law into their own hands when they heard about such incidents.

In Molepolole, some residents torched houses, a shelter at the village kgotla and barricaded roads with tyres following the suspected ritual murder of a taxi driver, Phenyo Jakoba, whose body was discovered decomposed.

President Masisi said perpetrators of the arson were not different from ritual murderers.

He pleaded with the public to always allow police to investigate cases and let the law take its course. President Masisi advised the public to be patient as investigations followed certain procedures that could take time to be completed.

The public, he said should assist the police in their investigations instead of committing crimes.

The President also spoke against those who used social media to organise themselves to carry out attacks, warning that action would be taken against them.

Responding to Kgosi Sello Moroka of Lerala, who had in his welcome remarks raised concern about politicians who got involved in bogosi issues, President Masisi urged politicians to avoid interfering in bogosi issues and also advised dikgosi against involvement in political matters.

On the request to consult and propose an establishment of buffer zones between Tuli Block farms and the border line between Botswana and South Africa, which was raised by the Village Development Committee chairperson Mr Leruo Matala, President Masisi said consultations on the subject were on going.

Source: MASISI CONDEMNS KILLINGS

Zimbabwe: Hwange man’s quest for instant riches ends in tragedy as muti kills children and family members

Posted on November 27, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

This time it’s not a report on a muti murder which caught my attention but a chilling story about a muti ritual going awry. The report shows how deeply entrenched the belief in muti is in local communities in Zimbabwe (and, presumably, also elsewhere) including the christian church.
(webmaster FVDK)

The Deadly Deal: Hwange Man’s Quest for Instant Riches Ends in Tragedy as Muthi Kills Children and Family Members

The Ill-Fated Quest for Instant Riches (Image Credit: B-Metro)

Published: November 24, 2023
By: Audrey L. Ncube – Bizarre, Local Zimbabwe News

The quest for instant riches turned tragic for a man in Hwange after the ‘get rich quick muthi’ he got from a sangoma went awry. The muthi he obtained from the sangoma to ‘accumulate wealth’ ended up killing his children and family members.

The Ill-Fated Quest for Instant Riches

In a harrowing tale that underscores the perils of seeking sudden riches through muthi, Jekete Ncube from Kapame Village found himself ensnared in a nightmare when a muthi, intended to grant him instant wealth, brought unimaginable tragedy instead.

According to B-Metro, Ncube’s aspiration for instant wealth led him to procure a mysterious muthi, reportedly housing a python skin within a gourd. Entranced by the promise of wealth, he soon realized the muthi wielded a sinister power, one that claimed the lives of his children and family, leaving him financially destitute and emotionally shattered.

Despite the fervent belief in the muthi’s potency, Ncube’s fortune remained unaltered, casting a shadow of despair over his hopes. A source close to Ncube revealed his mounting frustration and disillusionment as the promised prosperity failed to materialize.

Confronting the sangoma responsible for the cursed muthi, Ncube, consumed by anger and desperation, demanded answers. The sangoma, unmoved by Ncube’s ire, purportedly cited patience and unwavering belief as prerequisites for the muthi’s delayed effects.

Seeking Redemption: Cleansing and Cautionary Tales

The grim turn of events caused Ncube’s family to seek spiritual help from Archbishop Emmanuel Mutumwa of the Johane Masowe eChishanu Apostolic Church.

During a cleansing ceremony presided over by Archbishop Mutumwa, Ncube made a shocking admission, disclosing his misguided quest for wealth through the cursed muthi.

Unveiling hidden remnants of the ill-fated pursuit – a cache of coins and a drum filled with maize grains – Ncube’s confession sent shockwaves through his family, igniting a maelstrom of emotions and brewing resentment toward him.

Expressing remorse and pleading for deliverance from the malevolent forces unleashed by the muthi, Ncube cautioned against the perilous allure of shortcuts to wealth, warning others against falling prey to similar ill-conceived ventures.

Source: The Deadly Deal: Hwange Man’s Quest for Instant Riches Ends in Tragedy as Muthi Kills Children and Family Members

Also:

South Africa: ritual murderers of Ronny Makgatho sentenced

Posted on November 26, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

On November 3 I posted a report on the trial of Joshua Hlako, Marcus Makgatho, Amanda Makgatho and Khumbelo Mabirimisa who stood trial accused of ritually murdering Ronny Makgatho. Allegedly, the accused murdered Ronny Makgatho in 2006; his body was dismembered, packed up and taken to various businesses to promote prosperity. The victim was the cousin of Amanda and Marcus Makgatho.

On November 21, the Polokwane High Court found the accused guilty and sentenced them in the presence of the victim’s family members. Judge Gerrit Muller sentenced Joshua Hlako, Marcus Makgatho and Khumbelo Mabirimisa each to 22 years in prison for murder, seven years for kidnapping and four years for defeating the ends of justice. Amanda Makgatho was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for kidnapping.

Polokwane, formerly known as Pietersburg, is the capital of the Limpopo Province.

Ritual murderers of Ronny Makgatho sentenced

The body of Ronny Makgatho was dismembered, packed up and taken to various businesses to promote prosperity.

Joshua Hlako, Marcus Makgatho, Amanda Makgatho and Khumbelo Mabirimisa are sentenced for the murder of Ronny Makgatho after what has been found to be a brutal ritual killing, according to the National Prosecuting Authority.

Published: November 24, 2023
By: Koketso Sekhwela – Polokwane Review Observer

POLOKWANE -The Polokwane High Court sentenced those responsible for the ritual killing of Ronny Makgatho in 2006, in the presence of the victim’s close family members last Tuesday.

Judge Gerrit Muller ordered that Joshua Hlako, Marcus Makgatho and Khumbelo Mabirimisa will each serve 22 years’ imprisonment for murder, seven years for kidnapping and four years for defeating the ends of justice.

Amanda Makgatho was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for kidnapping. Muller ordered that the sentences run concurrently.

At the time of the incident, Makgatho was murdered after he was kidnapped in Soshanguve and brought to Seshego.

Hlako is a business owner in the farming and liquor trading sectors and Marcus Makgatho, in hospitality. The deceased was the cousin of Amanda and Marcus.

During the trial, the court heard that one witness reported the matter only last year after having relinquished his employment ties with Hlako whom he worked for from 2001.

Asked about the cause of the delay, the witness said he feared that Hlako was connected to the police in Seshego and that he would face a similar fate as the deceased.

“The witness further told the court that when he approached the police to report the offence, his fear was confirmed as he was detained without any charges brought against him and the police accused him of reporting Hlako. He was then released and could not make further attempts to report as he feared the police. He was adamant that he was part of the team and he did it under the instructions of his boss,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi remarked. The second witness, who also worked for Hlako, confirmed the first witness’s testimony that on the day of the incident, they were with Hlako, Marcus, Mabirimisa and a woman unknown to them.

“Knives were brought into the shack in Seshego, and Hlako was giving the instructions. The second witness had to write the name of Ronny from Soshanguve in a notebook where they kept records of the deceased before killing him in the shack of Hlako’s homestead. The body of the deceased was dismembered, packed up and taken to various businesses to promote prosperity,” Malabi-Dzhangi added.

The accused all pleaded not guilty.

Source: Ronny Makgatho: Killers sentenced

Nigeria: Representatives seek end to ritual killings of young girls

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Last months a 20-year old University of Port Harcourt student, Justina Nkang, was murdered by her lover. Allegedly, Damien Okoligwe, also an undergraduate student of the same university, killed her for ritualistic purposes. Justina was another victim of superstition, greed and selfishness which forms the main ingredients of ritualistic activities and murders.
(webmaster FVDK).

House of Representatives Seeks End To Ritual Killings Of Young Girls

The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on the Inspector General of Police to address the dangerous trend of killings of young girls for ritual…

Published: November 2, 2023
By: Itodo D. Sule – Daily Trust, Nigeria

The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on the Inspector General of Police to address the dangerous trend of killings of young girls for ritual purposes in the country.

The House also called on the Inspector General of Police to set up a crack team to conduct a holistic investigation with the sole aim of unmasking the cartels behind the killings and bringing them to justice. This followed the adoption of a motion of matter of urgent public importance moved by Rep Awaji-Inombek D. Abiante at plenary.

Abiante while moving his motion decried the recent wave and sustained killings of young girls who are mostly undergraduates by their supposed boyfriends for ritual purposes.

He particularly noted with dismay, the recent murder of a 20-year-old Miss Justina Otuene, an undergraduate student of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt by one Damian Okoligwe who is also an undergraduate student of the same university last week.

Abiante also made reference to the murder of Augusta Osedion, a final year student of Lead City University in July 2023 by her boyfriend, Benjamin Best who goes by the nickname, killaboi in Lagos.

He equally recalled the murder of Miss Oghenefejiro Ochuko, a final year student of Ambrose Ali University who was killed in August 2023 by her boyfriend, Victor Ochonogor in Benin, and several other unreported cases.

He expressed worries that the killings have almost become a daily occurrence with several other reported cases of missing females with their whereabouts still unknown.

Abiante lamented the rising cases of missing victims who are often found dead with vital parts of their bodies missing without traces of the perpetrators.

He said young girls have become endangered species, hence, the urgent need to curb the trend.

Source: Reps Seek End To Ritual Killings Of Young Girls

Lawmakers call on IGP to end ritual killings of young girls

Published: November 2, 2023
By: John Chukwu – RipplesNigeria

The House of Representatives has appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to, as a matter of urgency, exert effort in addressing the spate of killing of young girls for ritual purposes.

The appeal was sequel to the adoption of a motion on a matter of urgent public importance moved by the lawmaker representing Adoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Awaji-Inombek Abiante.

In his lead debate, Abiante stated that recent wave of killing of young girls, especially undergraduates by supposed boyfriends for ritual purposes remains an ugly trend that should be stopped.

He made reference to the recent murder of Justina Otuene, a 20-year-old undergraduate in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt, by Damian Okoligwe of the same university.

Abiante also narrated the murder of Augusta Osedion, “a final year student of Lead City University in July 2023 by her boyfriend, Benjamin Best, who goes by the nickname Killaboi in Lagos; the murder of Miss Oghenefejiro Ochuko, a final year student of Ambrose Alli University, who was equally killed in August 2023 by her boyfriend; Victor Ochonogor in Benin and several other unreported cases.

“These killings take similar patterns of dismembering the bodies of the victims whereby their vital organs are removed and that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are young boys who might not be working alone but with strong cartels.”

The Hosue, hence, also called on Egbetokun “to set up a crack team to conduct a holistic investigation with the sole aim of unmasking the cartels behind these killings and bring them to justice.”

Source: Lawmakers call on IGP to end ritual killings of young girls

House Urges IG to Constitute Crack Team to Unmask Cartel Behind Ritual Killings

Published: November 1, 2023
By: Adedayo Akinwale, Abuja – This Day, Nigeria

The House of Representatives yesterday called on the Inspector General of Police to set up a crack team to unmask and prosecute the cartels behind ritual killings across the nation.

The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a matter of urgent public importance moved under Order 8 Rule 4 on the need to curb the dangerous trend in the killing of young girls for ritual purposes in Nigeria.

Moving the motion at the plenary, Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, decried the recent wave and sustained killings of young girls who are mostly undergraduates by their supposed boyfriends, for ritual purposes.

The lawmaker expressed dismay at the recent murder of 20-year-old Miss Justina Otuene, an undergraduate of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt by Damian Okoligwe, a student of the same university.

Abiante also recalled the murder of Augusta Osedion, a final year student of Lead City University in July, 2023 by her boyfriend, Benjamin Best who goes by the nickname killaboi in Lagos.

He also cited the murder of Miss Oghenefejiro Ochuko, a final year student of Ambrose Ali University who was equally killed in August, 2023 by her boyfriend, Victor Ochonogor in Benin.

He expressed worry that the killings had almost become a daily occurrence with several other reported cases of missing females with their whereabouts still unknown.

The lawmaker further expressed worry that few of the reported missing victims were often found dead without traces of the perpetrators.

Abiante stressed that the killings take similar patterns of dismembering the bodies of the victims and removal of their vital organs.

He added that the perpetrators of the heinous crimes were young boys who might not be working alone but with strong cartels, while lamenting that young girls have become endangered species.

The lawmaker stressed the need to protect young girls and indeed every Nigerian as enshrined in section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The House, therefore, called on “the Inspector General of police to set up a crack team to conduct a holistic investigation with the sole aim of unmasking the cartels behind these killings and bringing them to justice.”

Source: House Urges IG to Constitute Crack Team to Unmask Cartel Behind Ritual Killings

Reps urge IGP to take urgent steps to address cases of ritual killings

Published: November 2, 2023
By: Ifeanyi Nwokocha – Lagos Post, Nigeria

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to take urgent steps to address cases of killing of young girls in Nigeria for ritual purposes.

This followed the adoption of a motion on a matter of urgent public importance moved by the lawmaker representing Adoni/Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Mr Awaji-Inombek Abiante.

Leading the debate, Abiante said the recent wave and sustained killings of young girls who are mostly undergraduates by their supposed boyfriends for ritual purposes could not be allowed to continue.

He recalled the recent murder of 20-year-old Justina Otuene, an undergraduate in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt, by Damian Okoligwe of the same university.

He also recalled the murder of Augusta Osedion, “a final year student of Lead City University in July 2023 by her boyfriend, Benjamin Best, who goes by the nickname Killaboi in Lagos; the murder of Miss Oghenefejiro Ochuko, a final year student of Ambrose Alli University, who was equally killed in August 2023 by her boyfriend; Victor Ochonogor in Benin and several other unreported cases.”

He said it was disturbing that “these killings take similar patterns of dismembering the bodies of the victims whereby their vital organs are removed and that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are young boys who might not be working alone but with strong cartels.”

The House called on the Inspector General of police “to set up a crack team to conduct a holistic investigation with the sole aim of unmasking the cartels behind these killings and bring them to justice.”

Source: Reps urge IGP to take urgent steps to address cases of ritual killings

And:

Reps ask IGP to end menace, bring perpetrators to book

Published by: November 2, 2023
By: YouTube

Screenshot – to watch the video: click here

Source: You Tube: Reps ask IGP to end menace, bring perpetrators to book

Uganda: some reflections on human sacrifice

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Human sacrifice is a widespread phenomenon in Uganda while some specific regions are notoriously known for their ritualistic killings. Yesterday, November 5, I posted an article on the sentencing of a man from Mayunge District who had killed his son for personal gain in 2017, and the day before, on November 4, I posted an article on a mother in the Kiira region who had killed two of her children, also for ritual purposes. These are not isolated cases as the following demonstrates.

Two witchdoctors in the Kamuli District were arrested earlier this year, suspected of a ritual child sacrifice while in Luwero District on January 7 an 8-year boy was kidnapped from his family’s courtyard and found back without head, fingers and toes. In November 2022 two men from Kayunga District were found guilty of child sacrifice committed in 2009. Within Uganda the Kayunga District has earned the dubious reputation of being one of the most notorious killing places.

Kayunga District shares this reputation with the Kiira region (Wakisi District, Central Region). The most recent ritual murder case in this region is the one reported above but also in August 2022 a man and his wife in Jinja District were arrested for killing their child in a ritual practice. In May 2021 police in Kayunga District had to protect a man from a mob threatening to kill him after he had allegedly killed two of his children for rituals purposes.

In July 2022 a spike was reported in human sacrifices. I’m afraid that the child sacrifice and other ritual murder cases mentioned in this report (see my July 11 posting) and the above mentioned murders are just the tip of the iceberg. After all, it is only logical to assume that not all ritual killing cases are being discovered or reported. An unknown number of children or elderly people, victims of ritualistic practices, may have disappeared without leaving traces.

Since 2021 convicted ritual murderers in Uganda may face the death penalty. In May parliament enacted the Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Bill, 2020, which includes the capital punishment or life imprisonment for any person found guilty of human sacrifice. The bill inspired me to some reflections – see my May 7 posting.

Since the enactment of the bill a number of convicted ritual murderers have been sentenced to heavy sentences and many years in prison, but the ugly phenomenon has not been eradicated. It’s a sad reality.

Uganda: father jailed 52 years for son’s ritual sacrifice, witch doctor set free

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Law enforcement officers as well as the High Court Judge are to be commended for the bringing to justice of a father who brutally killed his own son believing that would bring him wealth. Greed and superstition were the ingredients for a repulsive act. Hopefully the 52-year prison sentence for the convicted murderer will act as a deterrent for others who might be tempted to engage in this practice of child sacrifice for personal gains.

Warning: the following article contains graphic details of a cruel crime which may upset some readers (webmaster FVDK).

Father jailed 52 years for son’s ritual sacrifice, witch doctor set free

**The accused persons arrive at court. COURTESY PHOTO/URN**

Published: November 1, 2023
By: Michael Wandati – DISPATCH, Uganda’s News Monthly

Iganga, Uganda | In a significant legal ruling, High Court Judge, Justice David Batema, has handed down a verdict resulting in a 52-year prison sentence for Hassan Kafudde, a father convicted of the murder of his son in a ritual sacrifice. The case also involved lengthy sentences for one accomplice, while the witch doctor implicated in the case, who had spent six years in remand, was released.

The proceedings unfolded within the High Court of Uganda Circuit located in Iganga. The prosecution’s case contended that Kafudde sacrificed his son in a ritual murder with the belief that it would bring him wealth.

According to the prosecution’s account, on the 6th of June 2017, the convicted individuals, situated in Musita village within the Mayuge District, gruesomely beheaded and mutilated a child known as MJ in a ritualistic act.

Earlier in the legal proceedings, one of the accused, Issa Muyita, entered a guilty plea, reached a plea bargain agreement, and offered to testify as a prosecution witness. Consequently, he received a 25-year prison sentence. The trial continued against Kafudde and Kabaale Mubaraka, both of whom pleaded not guilty.

During the trial, Muyita confessed that he had accompanied Kafudde from Musita trading center to a sugarcane plantation, where Kafudde presented his son MJ. The child was tragically murdered in the sugarcane plantation near a stream. Kafudde collected the child’s blood in a polythene bag and transported the severed body parts in a bag. Additionally, he dug a shallow grave to bury the decapitated remains of the sacrificed child.

As a result, Kafudde was found guilty of the ritual murder of the child MJ and convicted as charged. It was subsequently established in court that Mubaraka did not actively participate in the commission of the offense.

However, the court determined that Mubaraka, identified as a witch doctor with shrines in Musita village, had been informed of the criminal act by Hassan Kafudde. Mubaraka subsequently went into hiding after the incident and was subsequently found guilty of being an accessory to the murder, as per section 394 of the Penal Code Act.

At the conclusion of the trial, Justice Batema, presiding over the High Court of Uganda Circuit in Iganga, convicted and sentenced the accomplices, Muyita, Kafudde, and Mubaraka, on the charge of trafficking in persons, in violation of section 4(a) and 5(c) of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act. Hassan Kafudde was sentenced to 52 years in prison, while Mubaraka received a 3-year prison term.

In his judgment, Justice Batema strongly denounced the heinous practice of ritual child sacrifice, the dismemberment of children, and the illegal trade in body parts, emphasizing the gravity of such offenses.

Justice Batema justified the lengthy custodial sentence for Kafudde by pointing to his lack of remorse throughout the court proceedings and his failure to demonstrate regret for the crime. Accordingly, Kafudde was sentenced to spend 52 years in Kirinya prisons, which includes the six years spent in pretrial detention.

The judge found Kabaale Mubaraka guilty of being an accessory to the crime but observed hesitancy on his part to report the incident to the police. Consequently, Mubaraka was sentenced to three years in prison, but given his prior six-year remand period, he was ordered to be immediately released.

Jacqueline Okui, the spokesperson for the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), commended the court for its landmark judgment, asserting that it will serve as a deterrent to individuals involved in such criminal acts.

Okui further challenged parents to take a proactive role in safeguarding their children’s well-being, emphasizing that engaging in child rights abuses such as ritual murders, whether directly or indirectly, would result in significant custodial sentences.

The investigation of this case was led by Aliwali Kizito, Chief State Attorney, with the prosecution being conducted by Racheal Bikhole, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions and Head of the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Division, along with Nyanzi Gladys, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Biira Peace, Chief State Attorney, and Arap Malinga, a Senior State Attorney within the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Source: Father jailed 52 years for son’s ritual sacrifice, witch doctor set free

Uganda: woman arrested for allegedly killing her two children in ritual sacrifice

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Allegedly, another ritual murder case in Uganda. The suspect arrested, mother of the two murdered children, will undergo a psychiatric examination. In my opinion, a wise decision. If indeed she committed the crime, she must be mentally ill. If not, how could she treat her own flesh and blood that way?
(webmaster FVDK)

Woman arrested for allegedly killing her two children in ritual sacrifice

Published: November 2, 2023
By: Michael Wandati – DISPATCH, Uganda’s News Monthly

Jinja, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | In the Kiira region, law enforcement authorities have taken into custody a 28-year-old woman named Rose Musiya for allegedly murdering her two children in ritualistic sacrifice.

According to reports, Musiya, who resides in Buwagi cell in the Northern Division of Jinja City, has been accused of taking her children’s lives in what is believed to be an act of ritual sacrifice. Shockingly, it has come to light that she buried one of the children within their residence.

The father of the children, Magada Kyagulanyi, a casual laborer hailing from Bukunjja in Buikwe district, recounted his return home on Sunday 29, October 2023 when Musiya disclosed to him that their children had been missing for the past two days.

Kyagulanyi further stated that when the police arrived at their residence, Musiya initially feigned possession by malevolent spirits. However, under scrutiny, she eventually confessed to her involvement in the tragic incident.

Lydia Karemera, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner of Jinja North, confirmed that investigators have thoroughly examined the scene of the crime. She also mentioned that, in addition to the legal proceedings, Musiya will be required to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Source: Woman arrested for allegedly killing her two children in ritual sacrifice

Anger rises in Gabon after rash of ritual killings (2013 article)

Posted on November 4, 2023 by Dr. F.P.M. van der Kraaij

Not much is known about the occurrence of ritualistic murders and related activities in Gabon. The 2013 article cited below strongly suggests that the belief in the supernatural powers derived from ritualistic murders exists and may even be widespread in this Central African country. According to the president of Gabon’s Association for the Prevention of Ritual Crimes, Jean-Elvis Bang Ondo, there were more than 20 ritual murders in the country in the first quarter of 2013, a staggering number,

The article also refers to a 2009 ritual murder implicating a senator. It wasn’t the first time a high-profile politician was involved in a ritual murder case (also see my earlier posting on the case) and I’m afraid it won’t be the last time. After all, though President Ali Bongo is no longer president of Gabon (he was deposed earlier this year, on August 30) and the country has a new leader, Transitional President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, this does not mean that ritual killing has stopped. Recently new reports emerged with details of ritual murders. Gabon’s new leaders face many challenges including the fight against superstition and ritualistic violence.
(webmaster FVDK)

Anger rises in Gabon after rash of ritual killings

Screenshot – not related to the article below

Published: March 26, 2013
By: Jean Rovys Dabany – Reuters

LIBREVILLE (Reuters) – A rising number of mutilated bodies washing up on Gabon’s beaches this year has sown fear in the normally sleepy capital Libreville of a resurgence in ritual killings.

The body parts of humans and animals are prized by some in central Africa for their supposed supernatural powers, including among some politicians bent on gaining influence.

“We have seen 20 killings since the start of the year,” said Jean-Elvis Ebang Ondo, the president of Gabon’s Association for the Prevention of Ritual Crimes, in Libreville.

He said most of the victims were young girls whose lips, tongues, genitals and other organs had been removed.

The killings have stirred rising anger against President Ali Bongo’s government for doing too little to halt the murders.

“We want to shout out our fury and tell the authorities that this needs to stop,” said Jessy Biyambou, a member of the Cry of Women advocacy group, which is organizing an April 6 rally in support of victims’ families.

Roland Akoumba, whose 8-year-old daughter was found dead in mid-March, told Reuters he was losing hope for justice.

“When the police removed the body from the water, they saw that the tongue, the lips, and the genitals were cut off,” he said. “I filed a complaint but I know it will go nowhere.”

Officials from the notoriously closed-door government of the former French colony have declined to comment publicly on the killings.

Bongo was elected president in 2009 in polls that triggered days of rioting and opposition complaints of fraud. He succeeded his father Omar Bongo, who held a tight grip on power in the oil producing state from 1967 until his death 42 years later.

“The phenomenon of ritual crimes is real. But no one here is willing to turn anyone else in for fear they too will be in danger,” said a member of parliament, who asked that his name not be used for fear of reprisals.

In the most high-profile ritual murder court case in Gabon to date, a convicted killer accused a Gabonese senator of ordering the 2009 murder of a 12-year-old girl for her organs.

The senator’s immunity was lifted after the accusation was made late last year, but he has not been indicted. The senator has denied any involvement.

Gabon is not the only African country with a black market trade in human organs.

Tomb raiders dug up more than 100 graves in Benin’s capital in November. Cameroonian authorities in September arrested five people for trafficking after they were stopped at a checkpoint with a severed human head.