The life of Nelisiwe Shiba, a woman born with albinism, was never the same after dodging the night she was meant to ‘disappear’ for good, as per the age-old legend that people like her do not die — they simply vanish.
They can even leave the house in the middle of the night without informing anyone, as the legend goes, and take on a mysterious journey to a forest or mountain – never to be traced again.
However, just hours before the evening when such was scheduled to happen to Shiba (35), she was given a timely tip-off by a community resident supposedly sent by a member of the very group that had plotted to make her vanish forever. The member seemingly had a change of heart.
This took place in one of the small rural communities of Northern Hhohho, whose name she preferred not to disclose. She was 25 at the time and had a small child.
Since then, Shiba has been living with the kind of fear that grips people with albinism nowadays — that when the sun sets, they could fall victim to ritual killing disguised as mysterious disappearances. Albinism is a genetic condition in which a person is born with little or no melanin pigment, resulting in lighter skin, hair, and eyes and often causing vision problems.
Harmful myths falsely claim that people with albinism possess magical powers or bring wealth, a misconception that has contributed to discrimination, attacks, and ritual killings.
Elaborating on her account in the wake of International Albinism Awareness Day, commemorated on June 13 to promote the rights, dignity and inclusion of persons with albinism worldwide, Shiba mentioned that she had previously been oblivious to grave dangers faced by people like her.
“After I graduated from Limkokwing University, I relocated to Northern Hhohho because I got a piece-job as a shopkeeper in a grocery shop owned by a relative. The community there was very welcoming and I never felt unsafe, even at night,” she said.
The only challenge she knew and had experienced as a person with albinism was discrimination. Being vulnerable to murder for ritual purposes was a myth to her until the day she got a grave warning that saved her life.
Recounting the events of that day, she stated:
“The community member came to the shop where I worked.
He said he wanted my father’s contact number. I was sceptical about giving it to him, but he insisted with some urgency.”
She yielded after the man bluntly told her that she was not safe and must ensure she did not close the shop late that day.
“He called my father and I overheard the conversation. He informed him about a plot to take my life and that it was a done deal. I had been sold, that night would be the one I disappeared,” she stated.
Shiba also overheard that a certain witchdoctor or sorcerer was part of the group and had approved her as a suitable target. He would be there to oversee the ritual process of the killing. The fact that she had a small child, though without albinism, was viewed as a bonus. Shiba was going to ‘disappear’ with her child.
“When he finished the phone conversation, before departing, he gave me another stern warning not to tell anyone what I had heard.
Shortly afterwards, I received a call from my father, who told me to pack up and find someone to carry on with the shop the following day because he would be fetching me before evening,” she explained.
Shiba remembers being emotionally traumatised by the visit and feeling weak at the knees with fear due to sudden realisation she was never completely safe due to her albinism.
Early that evening, her parents arrived in a car and took her and her child away without giving any hint that it was, in fact, a desperate escape.
She recalled that the community member who warned her father hinted during the phone call that the homestead involved in the deadly plot was nearby.
These were people she interacted with almost daily and would never have suspected to harbour such intentions. Looking back, she says the incident became a turning point that fuelled her distrust of people — something that persists to this day. It takes time for her to let down her guard.
“I don’t hitchhike or accept lifts unless it is from someone very close and trusted. I rely on public transport and would rather go back home than accept a lift from strangers,” she added.
Since that day, she has also become sensitive to noises at night. The slightest sound in or outside the house wakes her up, and she listens carefully to determine its nature.
Over the years, Shiba channelled that fear into advocacy by joining the Swaziland Association of Persons with Albinism (SAPA), where she has since risen to the position of president.
“I’ve also become a motivator for persons with albinism and try to fight for our rights. Apart from threats to our lives, we suffer social discrimination a lot, as many people have wrong information about albinism,” she said.
“There’s still a long way to go in educating the nation and debunking all the myths.”
The Swaziland Association of Persons with Albinism (SAPA) has raised alarm over persistent discrimination, dangerous superstitions and violence against people with albinism.
The association warned that the situation amounts to an ‘undercover genocide’, not just in the kingdom, but the wider Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The concern was expressed by SAPA Executive Director Philemon Gama during the commemoration of International Albinism Awareness Day held at the Deputy prime minister’s office on Friday.
The event was attended by Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Mkhonta-Simelane, who represented Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla. Representatives from disability organisations and SAPA members were also in attendence.
Gama said misinformation about albinism remains widespread, contributing to stigma, exclusion and in some cases, violent attacks. He noted that harmful beliefs—such as the idea that people with albinism do not die but disappear, or that their body parts bring luck—continue to place them at risk of ritual killings.
He cited recent incidents in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, including the killing of children with albinism in Madagascar and another case in Malawi involving a relative. He cited cases in the country, recalling the 2010 murders of two children in the Shiselweni region and a another in the Hhohho region in 2016, which he said demonstrate that the threat is not theoretical but real.
“These are not was olated incidents. They reflect a deeper problem driven by superstition and silence. In many cases, disappearances are not properly reported due to cultural misconceptions,” Gama said.
Beyond safety concerns, he highlighted systemic discrimination affecting access to opportunities, including financial assistance. He said persons with albinism were often met with skepticism when seeking support, limiting their ability to improve their livelihoods.
Gama welcomed government efforts to improve living conditions for persons with albinism, including a housing initiative announced by the deputy prime minister’s office. Under the programme, five houses were allocated, with two already completed and handed over at Mhlangatane and Mayiwane, while three remain under construction.
He further called for SPF 50+ sunscreen to be included on the national essential medicines list, arguing that it should be provided free due to the health risks associated with prolonged sun exposure.
SAPA also urged stronger regional and continental legal protections, calling on governments and the African Union to intensify efforts to prevent ritual killings and discrimination. Gama appealed to communities, traditional leaders and the media to actively challenge harmful beliefs and ensure responsible reporting.
He stressed that awareness must extend beyond annual commemorations.
“This issue requires consistent attention, education and action throughout the year if we are to achieve meaningful change,” he said. Gama concluded by calling for sustained advocacy and stronger institutional support to ensure the safety, dignity and full inclusion of persons with albinism in society.
The article below with details of the Edo Government’s demolition of a building linked to criminal activities including ritual murder illustrates well how an age-old traditional ceremony – a human sacrifice for the well-being of a community, firmly rooted in the belief in supernatural powers – has turned into a criminal, money-making machine. This tendency in several Sub-Saharan African countries – unfortunately, not limited to Nigeria – became already apparent in the late 20th century and is becoming more and more a daily threat in the present 21st century.
While criminal ritualistic activities including murder occur all over Nigeria, Edo State is notoriously known for these repulsive and condemnable acts. See e.g. some of my previous posts. Warning: the following posts contain graphic contents and may shock readers.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones. Edo State is located in the South-South geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, bordering Koti State (north and east), Ondo State (in the west), Delta State (in the south), and Anambra State (the east).
Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones
Edo State is Nigeria’s 22nd (or 24th) most populous state with an estimated population of between 6 and 10 million. With a surface area of 17,802 km2 it also ranks number 22. The state’s capital and largest city, Benin City, is one of Nigeria’s largest (ranking 4 after Lagos, Kano and Ibadan) and one of the country’s most famous and historic cities. (FVDK)
Edo Government demolishes building linked to cultism, ritual activities
Published: June 17, 2026 By: Matthew Atungwu – Daily Post, Nigeria
The Edo State Government has demolished a building allegedly linked to cultism and ritual activities in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement by Governor Monday Okpebholo’s media aide, Patrick Ebojele, on Tuesday, another property was also sealed off in a renewed crackdown on crime and criminal networks.
Ebojele said the operation was carried out under “Operation Flush Out Kidnappers and Cultists”.
According to him, the operation involved the Edo State Security Corps, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies under the supervision of senior security officials attached to the governor.
Secretary of the Edo State Security Squad, John Izegaegbe, said the intervention followed intelligence reports and field findings in the area.
Izegaegbe added that one of the sealed buildings in Ebhoijie-Uromi was linked to a disturbing discovery made in June.
“We are here on the order of Governor Monday Okpebholo, and, on getting here, we discovered that it is a ritual and murder case.
“It was further discovered, according to medical experts, that the body found in the building, which is the body of their gatekeeper, identified as Mildah Dalandi, had been decomposing for about one month in the apartment,” he said.
The state government reiterated that investigations were ongoing and assured residents that efforts to dismantle criminal networks across communities would continue.
Edo Government demolishes suspected criminal hideout, orders fugitives to surrender
Published: June 16, 2026 By: Felix Ifijeh – TheWill, NIgeria
June 16, (THEWILL) — The Edo State Government has intensified its crackdown on violent crime after demolishing a building allegedly linked to ritual killings and cult-related activities in Uromi, while sealing another property connected to the same suspects and ordering two fleeing individuals to surrender within 72 hours.
The demolition exercise formed part of the state’s ongoing security operation, Operation Flush Out Kidnappers and Cultists, involving operatives of the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC), the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies acting under directives from Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Speaking during the operation on Tuesday, Secretary of the Edo State Security Squad, Barrister John Izegaegbe, said the action followed intelligence reports and field investigations which uncovered disturbing evidence linking the affected properties to murder, ritual practices and cult activities.
According to Izegaegbe, operatives were acting on a direct order from Governor Okpebholo when investigators discovered what he described as evidence of a ritual killing case tied to one of the buildings in Ebhoijie area of Uromi.
“We are here on the marching order of Governor Monday Okpebholo and getting here we discovered that it’s a ritual and a murder case,” he said.
Izegaegbe disclosed that a decomposing body discovered in one of the sealed apartments was identified as Mildah Dalandi, a gateman employed at the property.
According to preliminary findings, medical experts who examined the remains concluded that the victim had been dead for nearly one month before the body was discovered.
“It was further discovered according to medical experts that the body found in the building, which is the body of their gateman identified as Mildah Dalandi, has been decomposing for about one month in the apartment,” Izegaegbe stated.
Security officials said residents had alerted authorities after perceiving a foul odour around the building, prompting operatives to force entry into the premises on June 2, 2026, where the decomposed body was eventually found.
The Edo government identified two prime suspects in the case as Eweh Favour and Eweh Bright, both of whom are currently on the run.
Authorities have now issued a 72-hour ultimatum directing the suspects to report to security agencies for questioning.
“The suspects are on the run, but we are giving them 72 hours to report themselves at the Uromi Police Divisional Headquarters or Area Command to clear themselves and enable further investigation into the matter,” Izegaegbe said.
Following further investigation, security operatives traced another property belonging to the suspects on Dr. Ebason Street in Uromi, where authorities claimed additional incriminating evidence was uncovered, prompting immediate demolition of the building.
“This house will certainly be brought down as the government will not tolerate criminal elements in the state,” the security official declared.
Investigators alleged that the demolished property served as an initiation ground for cult activities.
According to Izegaegbe, several suspicious items recovered during the operation included laptops, machetes, battle axes, native pots, candles, identity documents, photographs, and a red-coloured liquid suspected to have been used for ritual practices.
One of the photographs recovered from the premises reportedly bore the inscription “Singapore ritualist,” further raising suspicion about the nature of activities allegedly conducted there.
“Information brought us here as the property belongs to the same suspects and evidence has shown that this building is used as an initiation ground for new members into the cult confraternity,” he added.
He said the demolition was meant to serve as a warning to criminal elements operating anywhere within the state.
“This building is going down to serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements who are engaged in criminal activities in Edo State. We are warning them to leave the state or have themselves to be blamed as the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration will not tolerate them causing havoc in the state,” he said.
The State Government reiterated that investigations remain ongoing and vowed to sustain aggressive operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks linked to kidnapping, cult violence, ritual killings and other forms of insecurity across communities.
The Stench That Exposed a Suspected Ritualists’ Den in Edo
Published: June 17, 2026 By: Mike Osarogiagbon – The Nigerian Observer
In an intensified crackdown on cultism and ritual-related crimes in Edo State, the state government on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, reportedly demolished a building and sealed another suspected to be havens for cultists and ritualists in Uromi, the administrative headquarters of Esan North-East Local Government Area.
The operation, carried out under the state’s “Operation Flush Out Kidnappers and Cultists,” took a horrifying turn when security operatives discovered the decomposing body of a gateman inside one of the properties, triggering a murder and suspected ritual-related investigation that has sent shockwaves through Uromi and beyond.
According to a statement by Dr. Patrick Akhere Ebojele, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, the operation was witnessed by senior personnel of the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC), the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies under the supervision of top security officials attached to the governor.
But beyond the bulldozers, shattered walls and recovery of suspected ritual items lies a disturbing reality, for about a month, the gateman, identified as Mildah Dalandi, lay dead inside an apartment while neighbours went about their daily activities. Vehicles moved in and out of the area, and the bustling community carried on with its routines. Yet, behind closed doors, his decomposing body remained undiscovered until a foul stench forced residents to raise the alarm.
Speaking during the exercise, the Secretary of the Edo State Security Squad, Barr. John Izegaegbe, said the intervention followed intelligence reports and field findings in the area.
“We are here on the marching orders of Governor Monday Okpebholo, and upon arriving here, we discovered that this is a murder and suspected ritual case,” he said.
The statement disclosed that security operatives gained access to the property on June 2, 2026, where they discovered the decomposing body.
The investigation subsequently led security agencies to another property allegedly linked to two brothers, Eweh Favour and Eweh Bright, who have since been declared wanted and are currently on the run along with other persons yet to be identified.
The governor’s spokesman further quoted Barr. Izegaegbe as saying, “Medical experts confirmed that the body found in the building, identified as that of the gateman, Mildah Dalandi, had been decomposing in the apartment for about one month.”
The state government alleged that evidence recovered from the premises indicated that the building was being used for cult-related activities, including the initiation of new members.
Among the items reportedly recovered were laptops, machetes, battle axes, native pots, candles, a red-coloured liquid suspected to have been used for rituals, identity documents and photographs, including one bearing the inscription, “Singapore Ritualist.”
For many residents, however, the most disturbing aspect of the case remains the fate of the gateman whose body lay undiscovered for weeks.
Questions continue to linger. How did the gateman die? Why was his body abandoned? What transpired inside the apartment where he spent his final days? And what secrets died with him? Was he the only victim, why was he not declared missing or could more persons be linked to the ongoing investigation?
While the demolished structures now lie in ruins, the tragedy of the gateman and the unanswered questions surrounding his final days continue to cast a dark shadow over the Ebhoijie-Uromi community and beyond.
As the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration and security agencies intensify efforts to track down the fleeing suspects, residents hope the ongoing investigation will provide answers and justice for a man whose death was only discovered after a stench exposed what the government has described as a house of horror.
The main reason for presenting the case below is to draw attention to the belief in superstition, which is widespread in Uganda. Superstition is one of the main factors in the occurrence of ritualistic murders.
Introduction under construction (FVDK)
Mob Lynches Traditional Healer After Client Dies During Ritual in Kole
Published: June 15, 2026 By: F. Otucu, ChimpReports
Police in Kole District are investigating a case of double murder after a traditional healer was lynched by a mob following the death of his client during a ritual. The incident occurred on 13 June 2026 in Otwonoipingi Cell, Akalo Town Council, and left two people dead: 22-year-old Ecom Ivan and 50-year-old Mary Oming, a traditional healer.
According to preliminary police findings, the healer had been invited to conduct rituals related to a recent cattle theft when Ivan allegedly collapsed and died at the shrine, triggering a violent reaction from community members who descended on the healer, killing her, and setting ablaze two grass-thatched houses and a motorcycle.
Police say they responded to the scene, documented the incident, recovered exhibits and transported the bodies to Lira Regional Referral Hospital Mortuary for postmortem examinations. Security agencies have launched a manhunt for all suspects involved and have strongly condemned the mob action, warning that such attacks not only result in further loss of life but also destroy evidence and undermine the rule of law.
Police spokesman Rusoke Kituuma has been urged to promptly report suspected crimes to the authorities, avoid harmful or misleading practices, and refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
The following article, below, resonates deeply with me. In recent years, I have written so often about ritual murders in Nigeria (‘money business’) that it will surprise no one what moved the writer of this article. In Africa’s most populous country, ritual murders are committed perhaps daily: murders with ritual motives, superstition, belief in the power of ‘juju’, with the aim of enriching oneself, acquiring a better political or social position, or other selfish purposes.
Why is it so difficult to put an end to these vile, outdated and criminal acts? (FVDK)
The scourge of ritual killings
Published: June 3, 2026 By: This Day, Editorial, Nigeria
The criminals should be served full weight of the law
Increasingly, many Nigerians are now living in fear over growing cases of ritual killings. Last week, security operatives arrested a suspected serial killer who reportedly confessed to murdering dozens of people in the Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State. The suspect claimed he was assisted by a woman who usually lured unsuspecting victims to isolated locations where they were murdered, obviously for ritual purposes. But the Odukpani killings are not isolated incidents. While there may be no reliable statistics, the menace of missing persons and ritual killings across the country has become pronounced. Indeed, it has become so obvious that a civil society organisation, ‘Enough is Enough’, has since opened a website to document the trend.
From Lagos to Port Harcourt, Enugu and other cities across the country, hardly a week passes without tales of some people killed for what are attributed to ritual purposes. Last November, a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer and her 12-year-old daughter, were gruesomely murdered in Osun State by a family friend who lured them to the shrine of a herbalist where they were slaughtered and dismembered, with their vital organs removed. And in April this year, the Kwara State Police Command apprehended a man with the skull of a deceased family member whose remains he had exhumed.
Ritual killing is not a new criminal challenge. In March 2014, the nation was thrown into confusion when a kidnappers’ den was discovered in Soka community, Ibadan, Oyo State. After the den was raided by some commercial motorcyclists who were searching for two of their missing colleagues, human skulls, dried human parts alongside malnourished victims reportedly reserved for ritual purposes, were discovered. In August 2018, the Lagos police arrested one Taiwo Akinola, a suspected cult member, for allegedly attempting to kill his mother for money rituals.
But perhaps one of the most celebrated cases was that of the Port Harcourt serial killer, Gracious David-West who reportedly lured seven young ladies with high-risk lifestyle across Lagos, Imo and Rivers State to hotels and murdered them for rituals. Similarly, a young graduate who was raped and murdered while searching for a job in Uyo environs, Akwa Ibom State, few years ago, was reportedly used for ritual purposes. There was also the horrifying murder of a 300-Level undergraduate of Delta State University, Abraka, by a gang of four yahoo boys. One of the criminals told the police that they took the young lady to a bush where they plucked out her eyes, removed her breast and heart.
But the questions inevitably arise: What are the motives? What could be the cause of these grim acts of violence against fellow human beings, and indeed, the society? What could account for these barbaric acts of violence even among the supposedly educated citizens? Many attribute the menace to the growing sense of desperation to acquire wealth, without work. Amid the prevailing poverty and joblessness in the land, many have resorted to doing anything, no matter how weird, for wealth. Yet, there is no proven link between the costly rituals and the instant wealth promised through magical potions by herbalists and voodoo practitioners even when our society is now ravaged by it.
Today, many of our university campuses have become breeding grounds for Yahoo boys and girls who are looking for instant wealth. Sadly, the education they received does not rid them of the superstition that wealth comes from productive enterprises and not from human body. And with that, many innocent citizens are becoming victims to barbaric killings.
The Ugandan press and the national as well as regional and local authorities are pretty open in publishing confirmed and suspected cases of murders for ritualistic purposes. First of all, I would like to compliment these institutions on this.
This openness may suggest that ritual murders occur more frequently in this East African country than in other African countries. However, this conclusion is premature unless it is based on comparative research and takes certain caveats into account. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, we can say that Uganda is a country where ritual murders occur frequently. Human sacrifice for ritualistic motives and notably child sacrifice is a plague in this country. The Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Act (adopted in 2021), which explicitly permits the death penalty for perpetrators of ritual murders (human sacrifices) and the financing thereof, haven’t had the envisaged deterrent effect. Last year, on Christmas Eve, in his annual Christmas message, the Kabaka of Buganda commented on the growing number of children who were reported missing and were later found dead, brutally murdered, and in some cases with body parts missing.
In an earlier post in 2024, I reported that the number of reported murders for ritualistic purposes in the 2021 – 2023 period were 46 (2021), 72 (2022) and 84 (in 2023). In other words, the frequency of reported ritual murders nearly doubled between 2021 and 2023. Moreover, only 11 cases out of the 84 reported ritual murders in 2023 resulted in the prosecution of the suspected perpetrators.
In March this year, Uganda’s Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) published its 2025 Annual Crime Report covering a broad array of crimes. We’ll focus here on the present website’s topic, ritualistic murders.
Compared to 2023 there was a decrease in the number of reported ritual murders cases in 2025 (unfortunately, data for 2024 are lacking). In 2025 there were 61 reported cases – hence an average of 5 murders each month, or one ritual murder discovered each week – every week, throughout the year… A harrowing thought.
Generally speaking, the highest incidence of murders (all categories combined) was reported in Kyegegwa District (67 cases), followed by Mubende and Kyenjojo with 58 cases each, Rukungiri with 54, and Oyam with 53. It would be interesting to analyze the CDI report to determine whether there is a correlation between regionally reported murder cases and the frequency of ritual-related crimes. (webmaster FVDK)
2025 CDI Crime report: 25 Ugandans die daily in murders
Published: March 31, 2026 By: URN, Uganda
At least 25 Ugandans died daily from murders and road crashes in 2025, according to the annual crime report compiled by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).
The report shows that 4,328 people were deliberately killed, translating into an average of 11 murders per day. Assault was the leading cause of killings, accounting for 1,326 deaths, followed by mob action with 950 cases.
Other causes of murder included strangulation (415 cases), hacking (338), stabbing (292), assault using blunt objects (289), domestic violence (208), shooting (190), poisoning (111), ritual sacrifice (61), and arson (58).
Regionally, Kyegegwa District recorded the highest number of murders at 67 cases, followed by Mubende and Kyenjojo with 58 cases each, Rukungiri with 54, and Oyam with 53.
Infographic showing murders by cause and districts
CID director Maj Tom Magambo said overall crime registered a 10.2 per cent drop between 2022 and 2025, indicating a consistent downward trend.
Meanwhile, traffic police reported 4,602 fatal crashes in 2025, resulting in 5,383 deaths — an average of 14 fatalities per day. The figure represents a 4.7 per cent increase from the 5,144 deaths recorded in 2024.
Serious injuries rose by 8.4 per cent from 17,013 in 2024 to 18,444 in 2025, while minor injuries increased slightly from 3,651 to 3,668. However, total crashes dropped to 322,441 in 2025 from 426,632 in 2024.
December recorded the highest number of crashes at 2,443, while June registered the lowest at 1,978. Fatalities peaked in October with 523 deaths and were lowest in June at 390.
Director of Traffic and Road Safety AIGP Lawrence Nuwabine attributed the rise in fatalities to increased travel demand, particularly during festive periods.
Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba said police will fully implement the sub-county policing model to further reduce crime, which currently stands at 56 per cent nationwide.
“Other initiatives like CCTV cameras, enhanced K9 and forensic services, and targeted operations have contributed to a 10.2 per cent crime reduction in 2025, compared to 4.1 per cent in 2024,” Byakagaba said.
Overall, police-recorded cases dropped from 218,715 in 2024 to 196,405 in 2025. Of these, 79,291 cases were taken to court involving 99,004 accused persons, while 31,732 suspects were convicted.
However, I myself could hardly believe that His Excellency the Minister was telling the truth here. I therefore concluded this post with the remark that “(…) Minister Mohwasa’s statement may be theoretically true, in the strict sense of the law, but that says nothing about the fact that ritual murder does indeed occur in Botswana.”
The murder case described below is not a clear-cut case of ritualistic murder, as the author also concludes in the last paragraph. But when a body is found ‘with parts missing’ (as the saying goes), in particular the victim’s private parts or a body part which is considered essential, rumors emerge that the cause of death is related to ‘muti’, a killing for ritualistic proposes or motives, especially given the fact that a songoma is involved.
Read the full story below. (FVDK)
Botswana: Blood, betrayal and the sangoma’s secret
Published: March 29, 2026 By: Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News, Herald Online, Botswana
In the quiet, dust-swept lands of Gakuto, a tiny village north of Gaborone, a passer-by made a discovery that shattered Botswana’s perception of love and safety in matrimony.
In a place where cattle paths snake through scrub and silence often carries more weight than words, the unnamed passer-by stumbled upon the mutilated remains of a man whose body bore the hallmarks of a violent and deeply unsettling end.
Unknown at the time was that the dead man was a husband and father.
Whispers in Gakuto suggested that parts of the man’s body were missing. Reports later confirmed that the deceased had been buried without his tongue and private parts.
The victim was Timothy Segola, a recently retired lecturer from the University of Botswana, who had left his career with a handsome package said to be worth millions of pula.
His death unravelled into a chilling tale of love, greed, ritual and betrayal — one that drew in Zimbabwean traditional healer Stella Sibanda and gripped both Botswana and Zimbabwe.
A friend turned suspect
For years, Stella Sibanda had been a familiar figure to the Segola family — a trusted traditional doctor whose presence was woven into the rhythms of their lives. That made the allegations that followed all the more shocking.
Investigators alleged that Timothy’s wife, Malebogo Segola, conspired with Sibanda and her son, Maxwell, to spiritually subdue her husband and eventually murder him.
Sibanda was allegedly enlisted to “bewitch” Timothy, turning him into a compliant partner through a process known in Setswana as go mo hemisa.
The plan was to transform the retired academic into a “yes ma’am” husband. But somewhere between whispered incantations and shadowy intentions, the scheme spiralled into something far darker.
Timothy Segola ended up dead.
Stella Sibanda (right)
Love, money, betrayal
As investigators peeled back the layers of the case, a complex web of motives emerged.
There were claims of a clandestine affair between Malebogo and co-accused Alfred Gaseitsiwe. There were whispers of fortune, suggesting the widow stood to gain millions if Timothy died.
Sibanda herself made startling claims in court, alleging that Malebogo had long harboured intentions to kill her husband for P4,5 million.
What began as suspected ritual manipulation now appeared to be a murder conspiracy rooted in passion and profit. Timothy’s body, discovered in the open lands, bore signs of extreme violence.
Community accounts spoke of missing body parts, fuelling speculation of ritual elements. Reports from the popular Botswana podcast “Case by Case” claimed Sibanda performed a cleansing ritual on her co-accused after the murder, attempting to spiritually wash away blood that could not be unseen.
The fall and the flight
Arrested alongside her co-accused in July 2025, Sibanda’s troubles mounted quickly.
In court, she cut a subdued figure, speaking of children left behind. But the courts showed little sympathy. Her bids for freedom were rejected at every level — from the Magistrate’s Court to the High Court and even Botswana’s Court of Appeal.
State prosecutor Ms Seeletso Ookeditse remarked.
“One can imagine the amount of time the accused persons had to cover their tracks. We therefore need time to investigate, as there is likelihood of evidence being tampered with. It would not be in the best interest of justice for the accused persons to be released on bail.”
After repeated rejections, Sibanda took matters into her own hands. On 4 February she became the first woman in recent memory to escape from Gaborone Women’s Prison, a facility long considered secure.
The escape sent shockwaves through Botswana’s security establishment and triggered a nationwide manhunt. The last woman to escape prison had been another Zimbabwean back in 2004.
Her freedom was fleeting
In the early hours of a Thursday morning, in Gaborone’s Block 3, Sibanda was recaptured. Authorities praised citizen cooperation and promised tighter security measures.
The Botswana Prison Service said: “Prisoner Stella Sibanda, aged 50, who escaped from Gaborone Women’s Prison on February 4, has been recaptured at Gaborone Block 3. We extend our appreciation to members of the public and law enforcement agencies who worked tirelessly to ensure her recapture. Measures are being strengthened to prevent similar incidents in the future and the safety and security of the public remain our top priority.”
Now, Sibanda faces not only charges of murder — a capital offence under Section 203 of Botswana’s Penal Code, punishable by death by hanging — but also additional charges for her escape.
A story that refuses to rest
Before the saga, Sibanda had embraced modern platforms, advertising her services on social media.
With a cow’s tail (itshoba) and clay pots before her, she presented herself as the epitome of the modern traditional healer on TikTok. Among her followers were the Segola family, for whom the betrayal cuts deepest.
For Sibanda, the journey from healer to accused fugitive reads like a cautionary tale of how quickly the line between the spiritual and the sinister can blur.
For those watching, the case lingers — unresolved, unsettling and steeped in questions that refuse to rest. Was this a crime of passion? A plot driven by greed? Or something darker, rooted in beliefs that thrive in the shadows? Sibanda and her co-accused are set to return to court soon, as Botswana’s justice system prepares to untangle truth from rumour.
Warning: This post contains graphic views and contents which may upset readers and viewers.
By chance, I recently stumbled upon the impressive BBC film about money rituals in Africa, which was published late last year. The film is bewildering, terrifying and at the same time admirable. Based on an undercover operation in Sierra Leone, investigative journalist Tyson Conteh explains in the 50-minute film how a ‘money ritual’ works.
The film addresses all facets of murder for ritual purposes: naturally, first and foremost, the superstition regarding the supernatural powers derived from ‘juju’ obtained from human organs, body parts, or whatever else. Furthermore, the unscrupulous, criminal nature of the mastermind, the intermediary, the actual murderer, and the role of the witch doctor or traditional healer is clearly revealed. They are willing to sacrifice the life of an innocent victim for their own ambition or greed.
Tyson Conteh also addresses the impunity with which those responsible for these crimes unfortunately often get away, partly explained by the active involvement in some cases of politicians, traditional authorities, and/or other public figures. A complicating factor is that some well-intentioned African law enforcement officers—policemen—also believe in the power of the ‘juju’ that surrounds these crimes and are cautious or even reluctant in investigating and combating these gruesome acts. The practice of ritual killings hits very close to home for Tyson Conteh, who, along with his team, deserves nothing but praise for this insightful film, when he learns that a close family member has fallen victim to ritual killing. The pain and grief of the victim’s parents and other relatives are deeply relatable and moving.
Finally, it is important to mention that the intermediaries and witch doctors filmed by the investigation team were possibly fraudsters who verbally declared themselves willing to carry out a ritual murder on demand for a substantial sum, with the aim of swindling the client out of their money. Needless to say, the undercover journalist did not let it get that far.
I highly recommend viewing this film. To access the film, please click here (webmaster FVDK)
Despite six gruesome murders involving mutilated bodies over the past decade, the government of Botswana insist none can be classified as ritual killings. The reason? Minister for State President, Defence, and Security, Moeti Mohwasa, responding to a parliamentary question from Member of Parliament for Serowe South, Leepetswe Lesedi, explained that ‘In our statuses in general and the penal code in particular , we don’t have an offence called ritual killing.’ However, he admitted that Botswana is currently faced with a high number of reported missing persons – see the article below for the exact number of missing persons who were never recovered.
This is not to say that all missing persons have been murdered, let alone murdered for ritualistic reasons. But the harsh reality is that ritual murders – known in Southern Africa as ‘muti murders’ – do indeed occur in Botswana. See my posts of 2018 (referring to a suspected ritual murder case in 2017), 2019 (referring to a 2006 case), 2020 (including a 2011 article), 2021, 2022 (detailing a devastating 2019 report) and 2023. Some of these posts concern albino victims, see the 2022 post mentioned. In 2023 then Botswana president Mokgweetsi Masisi (2018-2024) condemned ritual murder practices.
Hence, Minister Mohwasa’s statement may be theoretically true, in the strict sense of the law, but that says nothing about the fact that ritual murder does indeed occur in Botswana. (webmaster FVDK).
‘There is no such thing as ritual killings in our laws’ – Minister for State President, Defence, and Security Moeti Mohwasa
Published: March 24, 2026 By: Mmegionline – Botwana
This was revealed by the Minister for State President, Defence, and Security Moeti Mohwasa. Mohwasa was responding to a parliamentary question from Member of Parliament (MP) for Serowe South, Leepetswe Lesedi.
Lesedi had sought to find out from government a comprehensive report on the number of persons who have gone missing and those who have been reported missing in Botswana in the last 10 years.
The MP also sought to find out how many cases were due to kidnapping and ritual killings and what is being done to sensitize the public about such incidents.
To which the minister explained, “ In our statuses in general and the penal code in particular , we don’t have an offence called ritual killing. We are therefore constrained to speak to a crime that is not in our statutes. The taking of human life is criminalised as murder’.
Mohwasa however admitted that the country is currently grappling with high number of reported missing persons.
“Most of them are the youth who go away without informing their relatives and guardians about their whereabouts. 6677 reports of missing persons which involved 6765 from 2016 to 2025 of the total, 3,412 were male , whilst 3,353 were female,” the Minister shared.
The Minister further stated that through search efforts by the police, the communities and publication on BPS Facebook page a total of 6,3330 missing persons were recovered while 426 were never recovered.
According to statistics in 2023 Botswana recorded 728 missing persons with 686 found, and 42 still missing, in 2024 709 were reported, with 647 found whilst 62 are still missing , in 2025 a total of 618 missing persons report was filed whilst 586 were recovered 32 are still missing.
Warning: the following post contains graphic details of abductions, mutilations and other criminal acts including murder which may upset readers.
Unfortunately, the abduction, mutilation and killing of persons with albinism for ritualistic purposes have never disappeared in the Southern African country of Malawi. I have devoted considerable attention to this in the past.
Without pretending to be exhaustive I refer to the following posts: 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024. Interested readers may use the dropdown menu (under ‘African countries’) for all posts on Malawi. For last year, 2025, I may refer to an article published by The Guardian, A friend killed, and inquiries shelved: life fighting the stigma of albinism in Malawi (not covered on the present ste). It draws attention to the increasing fear among people with albinism in light of the scheduled elections.
As has been reported before, there exists a link between an increase of reported ritualistic killings and elections (see my March 18 post) – and Malawi does not seem to be an exception – whereas the Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) has drawn attention to the connivance of certain politicians who obstruct fair investigations into reported attacks on people with albinism and ritual murder cases or sweep them under the rug, see my 2021 post on the subject.
The Malawi-based journalist and media professional Benson Kunchezera has a strong focus on development reporting, particularly in areas such as agriculture, digital innovation, public health, and environmental sustainability. Besides the just mentioned areas of interest and competence he is also interested in human rights issues in particular the position of persons with albinism and their plight in some countries notably Malawi. I commend him for drawing international attention to the precarious position of people with albinism in Malawi and highly recommended reading his recently published article on this topic.
Malawi’s renewed attacks on persons with albinism raise alarm
Attacks, abductions, and grave tampering targeting persons with albinism have resurfaced across Malawi in 2026, reigniting fears that the country’s progress on protecting this vulnerable community is unravelling. Civil society is fighting back — but without a renewed national action plan, advocates warn the worst may be yet to come.
The story of Flora Saidi remains one of the most painful reminders of the violence faced by people with albinism in Malawi. According to accounts documented by advocacy organisations supporting persons with albinism in the country.
Flora Saidi
It was a Monday morning in 2003 when Flora Saidi left her home in Kadewere village under Traditional Authority Chowe in Mangochi, hoping to find piecework to feed her family. She left behind her 19-year-old son, Saidi Daitoni, a young man with albinism.
When she returned home empty-handed later that afternoon, her son had managed to earn a small amount of money. They agreed to share it with his girlfriend, who was visiting. Saidi left with her to look for change so they could divide the money properly. He never returned.
The following morning, Flora began searching for him. By then, he had disappeared. Police were informed, and after a search, his body was discovered near a residence he had visited the previous evening. Some of his body parts had been removed. The perpetrator was later sentenced to 155 years in prison with hard labour.
PERSISTENT THREATS IN RURAL MALAWI
Malawi has 134,636 persons with albinism, with over 117,000 living in rural areas. It is in these rural communities where poverty, limited law-enforcement presence, and entrenched myths combine to create dangerous conditions.
Persons with Albinism, especially in the southern African regions face persecutions, because their body parts are believed to bring lack of wealth after being mixed with some concoctions by a witch doctor.
Others believe that when they have unprotected sexual intercourse with a person with albinism they can get cured of HIV/ AIDS.
The Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) has documented fresh cases in districts including Mulanje, Kasungu, and Dowa. Grave tampering and disappearances have reignited fear among families who had begun to feel cautiously safe.
In February 2018, Amnesty International published a joint report by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and the Malawi Police Force with 148 cases reported in Malawi’s four districts.
Recently, in 2026, more than 4 cases of persons with Albinism have been recorded by the Malawi Police Service ranging from attacks, abductions and tampering of graves in some parts of the country.
“We thought we were coming to an end of these attacks,” Maynard Zacharia, APAM’s National Coordinator, told FairPlanet. “Now we are seeing signs that the underlying issues were never fully resolved.”
Maynard Zacharia
COMMUNITY PROTECTION IN ACTION
In response, APAM has intensified its on-the-ground efforts. The organisation is not only condemning attacks publicly but also mobilising communities in hotspot districts such as Machinga.
One strategy involves relocating children with albinism from high-risk areas to safer homes. In some cases, this means placing them in boarding facilities or with vetted guardians where security is stronger. At the same time, APAM is lobbying authorities and partners to invest in secure-housing projects with reinforced doors, burglar bars, and community-based surveillance systems.
Beyond physical protection, APAM is conducting awareness campaigns aimed at dismantling the myths that drive violence. Working with chiefs, faith leaders, and local youth groups, activists hold community dialogues that confront harmful beliefs directly. In village meetings, survivors and families share testimonies, reframing albinism as a genetic condition rather than a mystical anomaly.
“These conversations are not easy,” Zacharia told FairPlanet. “But we have seen that when traditional leaders publicly reject the myths, attitudes begin to shift.”
The organisation is also pressing for the conclusion of more than 28 long-pending court cases involving murder and abduction. By monitoring proceedings and engaging legal-aid partners, APAM hopes to prevent cases from stalling indefinitely — a pattern that erodes public trust.
Kaiyatsa told FairPlanet that fear remains a major barrier to reporting threats. In rural areas, families often hesitate to approach police due to mistrust in the justice system and fear of retaliation.
According to him, the situation was further complicated by the controversial pardon of police officers previously convicted in connection with an albinism-related killing. For rights groups, the decision sent a damaging signal.
“To victims’ families, it suggested that justice can be undone,” Kaiyatsa told FairPlanet. “To would-be offenders, it reinforced the perception that accountability is not guaranteed.”
Michael Kaiyatsa
In response, CHRR and other organisations have stepped up advocacy for witness-protection mechanisms and independent monitoring of investigations. They are pushing Parliament and relevant ministries to allocate dedicated funding for protection programmes and to ensure that cases are prioritised within the judiciary.
REVIVING NATIONAL COMMITMENTS
Malawi once drew international praise for adopting a National Action Plan on the Protection of Persons with Albinism. However, the plan expired in 2022 and has yet to be renewed, leaving what activists describe as a dangerous coordination gap.
“Commitments on paper are not enough,” Zacharia says. “We need implementation that reaches the village level.”
REBUILDING TRUST FROM THE GROUND UP
On the ground, solutions are increasingly community-driven. In some districts, local committees made up of chiefs, police representatives, teachers, and activists meet regularly to assess risks and share information. Informal early-warning systems — such as community WhatsApp groups with coordinated night patrols-have been introduced in certain high-risk areas.
Civil society organisations are advocating for long-term assistance for affected families, including counselling, educational support for orphaned children, and income-generating projects for households that have lost breadwinners.
These initiatives aim not only to respond to attacks but to address their ripple-effects — school dropouts, psychological trauma, and deepening poverty.
A FRAGILE BUT DETERMINED PROGRESS
Organisations such as the Scotland Malawi Partnership insist that regression is not inevitable. They point to the increasing visibility of persons with albinism in advocacy spaces, media platforms, and leadership roles.
Flora Saidi, though still grieving, has participated in community meetings where she shares her story. Her testimony serves both as a warning and a call to action.
For Malawi, the struggle to protect persons with albinism is about more than ending ritual killings. It is about strengthening rural policing, restoring faith in the justice system, and dismantling centuries-old myths.
For people like Flora Saidi, safety is still uncertain, but hope lies in the quiet work happening in villages and communities across Malawi.
Their efforts may not end the attacks overnight. But for families living in fear, each community meeting, each court case and each safe home built is a step toward something simple with the chance to live an ordinary life without fear.
