Liberia Human Rights report condemns continuation of female genital mutilation, trial by ordeal, and ritual killings

As elaborated further in the article presented below, the human rights situation in Liberia, as reported by the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) in its 2024 Human Rights Situation Report, is very worrisome with severe human rights violations across the country. Notably, I quote, “The report (…) condemned the continuation of harmful traditional practices, particularly female genital mutilation (FGM), trial by ordeal, and ritual killings. Despite calls from both the government and traditional leaders to end these practices, they remain rampant (….)” Unquote.

Ritual killings, trial by ordeal (‘sassy wood trial’) and witchcraft accusations are persistent problems in Liberia and on many occasions I have drawn attention to these practices, reporting on particular ritual murder cases. In the recent past there have only been a few reported cases of ritual violence including murder but, as the 2024 Human Rights Situation Report of the INCHR demonstrates, this does not mean that the ugly practice of killing human beings for ‘juju’ purposes, traditional trials by ordeal and witchcraft accusations have vanished – unfortunately not.

It is interesting to note that the INCHR categorizes ritual killings as a traditional practice. It is a fact, that the origin of killing for ritual purposes (to obtain ‘juju’) in Liberia goes back to the history of certain tribal communities, but Liberia’s recent past contains an abundance of ritual murders which were committed because of sheer greed and which are hardly distinguishable from ordinary criminal acts including abduction, torture and murder.

Providing an exhaustive list of examples here would require too much space, I will just give three examples covering the past 50 years: (1) the Maryland murders in the late 1970s; (2) ritual killings in the Doe era (1990s) ; and (3) accusations linking the Weah Administration (2018 – 2024) to ritual killings – underligning that ritualistic murders are being committed in Liberia every year.
(Note: I purposely omit here the back-to-back civil wars (1989-2003) with its many atrocities, ritualistic killings and cannibalism.).

The one million dollar question that emerges is of course: ‘Why are there still ritual murderers in Liberia, why hasn’t the phenomenon of ritual killings disappeared?

He/she who knowns the answer should speak.
(webmaster FVDK)

Liberia: INCHR 2024 Report Highlights Alarming Human Rights Violations in Liberia

Published: March 28, 2025
By: Front Page Africa, Liberia

Monrovia-The 2024 Human Rights Situation Report released by the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) has shed light on severe human rights violations across Liberia, pointing to troubling trends that persist despite some positive efforts in certain sectors.

The report, presented by INCHR Chairperson Cllr. Dempster Brown, paints a concerning picture of the state of human rights in Liberia, with key violations spanning state security brutality, prolonged pretrial detention, gender-based violence, and the continued prevalence of harmful traditional practices.

State Security Brutality and Excessive Use of Force

The most pressing concern raised in the report is the brutality of state security forces. Instances of excessive use of force by law enforcement, often leading to deaths, have continued to occur with alarming frequency.

One such incident highlighted in the report was the killing of a 17-year-old student by a police officer on July 1, in Paynesville City.

The officer was involved in a confrontation with a suspect, and in an attempt to restrain the individual, he discharged his weapon, fatally injuring the student. Despite the officer being arrested and charged with murder, this case underscores a broader issue of unchecked violence by state security forces.

Prolonged Pretrial Detention and Judicial Delays

Another critical violation addressed in the report is the widespread issue of prolonged pretrial detention. Many individuals are held in detention for extended periods without trial, contributing to overcrowding in Liberia’s prisons.

These delays are further compounded by a shortage of judicial officers in rural areas, preventing timely adjudication of cases.

Prolonged Pretrial Detention and Judicial Delays

Another critical violation addressed in the report is the widespread issue of prolonged pretrial detention. Many individuals are held in detention for extended periods without trial, contributing to overcrowding in Liberia’s prisons.

These delays are further compounded by a shortage of judicial officers in rural areas, preventing timely adjudication of cases.

This backlog in the judicial system according to the report, has led to a growing distrust in the country’s ability to deliver justice.

Gender-Based Violence and Rape

The INCHR report also expressed grave concern over the persistence of gender-based violence (GBV), with rape cases, particularly those involving minors, remaining a constant threat.

Despite ongoing efforts to address this issue, there has been no significant reduction in the prevalence of sexual violence, with victims often left without adequate protection or recourse to justice.

Harmful Traditional Practices

The report further condemned the continuation of harmful traditional practices, particularly female genital mutilation (FGM), trial by ordeal, and ritual killings. (italics added by the webmaster)
Despite calls from both the government and traditional leaders to end these practices, they remain rampant, with young girls being particularly vulnerable. The practice of FGM, in particular, continues to impact young children who are often subjected to the procedure at the expense of their education and well-being.

Enforced Disappearances and Extrajudicial Killings

The issue of enforced disappearances was also highlighted, with the case of Abrahima Kalil Cherif standing out.

Cherif, who was arrested in 2024, was reported missing after being detained at the Monrovia Central Prison. His case, along with other instances of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, points to serious lapses in Liberia’s adherence to both national and international human rights standards.

The appalling conditions in Liberia’s prisons were another critical area of concern. Overcrowding, lack of medical care, and the rampant spread of diseases like tuberculosis and hepatitis B have created a dire situation for inmates.

The report stressed that the prolonged pretrial detention system exacerbates these conditions, placing detainees at severe risk of health complications.

Child Protection and Violations in Concession Areas

Additionally, the report said children in Liberia remain vulnerable to exploitation, with widespread reports of child labor, sexual violence, and even torture.

“Children accused of witchcraft are often subjected to public humiliation and violence, highlighting the need for stronger child protection measures. Additionally, the report pointed to violence in concession areas, where communities protesting against poor conditions have been met with deadly force from state security, leading to significant human rights abuses,” the report added.

Call for Immediate Action

In light of these grave violations, the INCHR has called for government immediate action to address the issues raised in the report.

The Commission has further recommended Investigations into all killings by state and non-state actors, with appropriate accountability, Expedited reforms to address the backlog in the judicial system and alleviate overcrowding in prisons, the criminalization of harmful traditional practices such as FGM and trial by ordeal, strengthened protections for women and children, particularly in the areas of gender-based violence and child labor and Enhanced oversight of law enforcement agencies to ensure accountability for misconduct.

Meanwhile, the 2024 INCHR report underscores the urgent need for reforms in Liberia’s approach to human rights, noting that continued violations, particularly those involving state security forces, judicial delays, gender-based violence, and harmful traditional practices, demand immediate attention from the government.

The INCHR said that without significant changes, Liberia risks undermining its commitment to human rights, both domestically and on the international stage.

Source: Liberia: INCHR 2024 Report Highlights Alarming Human Rights Violations in Liberia

UN human rights expert urges Liberia to probe suspected ritual killings

Liberia has been in the grip of a series of mysterious deaths, unexplained disappearances and confirmed cases of ritual murders since at least early 2021 but in fact much earlier. It started with the unexplained death of a number of tax officials, three senior employees of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the Director General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), who were found dead within one month, in 2020.

Liberians on the scene where two LRA employees were discovered dead on 2 October, in downtown Monrovia.  © RFI/Darlington Porkpa
Source: Liberia requests US intervention after string of mysterious auditor deaths

The recorded cases of unexplained deaths and proven ritualistic murders stand at 10, for the year 2021 alone. I have extensively paid attention to these cases and the resulting social and political unrest in Liberia in more than 10 recent posts. See my posts dated September 30, October 1, October 4, October 5, October 7, October 9, October 22, October 23, November 9, November 10 and November 11.

Still, despite repeated appeals from prominent civil society and church leaders, politicians and journalists in Liberia, the reaction of the Liberian Government is one of silence and disappointing. This leads unnecessarily to fresh rumors of involvement of high ranking government officials, unfortunately not uncommon in Liberia.

Recently a UN human rights expert urged the Liberian Government to act and investigate the mysterious deaths and disappearances and arrest the culprits of the heinous crimes which are ritualistic murders for occult purposes (‘juju’).  

The ball is now in President Weah’s court. In 2017, the former soccer champion-turned-politician was elected by a majority of the unprivileged youth of Liberia after an election campaign promising them ‘change’. Liberia faces new presidential elections in 2023 and with mounting criticism and an opposition determined to unseat him, Weah is uncertain to gain a second mandate (webmaster FVDK).

UN human rights expert urges Liberia to probe suspected ritual killings

Liberian president George Weah faces mounting criticism and an opposition determined to unseat him in the forthcoming presidential elections slated for late 2023.

Published: December 10, 2021
By: Punch, Nigeria

A UN human rights expert on Friday urged Liberia to investigate claims that a spate of murders this year had a ritual motive, despite authorities having already denied those claims.

Rumours of ritual murders spread on social media in the West African nation this year, with reports of corpses found with body parts removed — possibly for occult purposes.

Liberian police have denied the bulk of the reports, however, and arrested a member of the political opposition accused of fanning the rumours.

On Friday, Morris Tidball-Binz, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, nonetheless urged Liberia’s government to investigate the killings.

The independent expert said in a statement that at least 10 people in Liberia had been murdered in unclear circumstances in 2021 year, “some of which have reportedly been linked to ritualistic practices”.

“Investigations should fully explore all possible motivations for these killings,” he was quoted as saying.

Ritual murders are not unheard of in Liberia, and were common during the country’s back-to-back civil wars from 1989 to 2003.

Body parts severed from the victim’s corpse are thought to be used in rituals designed to benefit the murderer.

However in September, Liberian Police Inspector General Patrick Sudue announced that most of the recent alleged incidents are baseless.

The same month, police arrested a member of the opposition party Alternative National Congress for posting misinformation about ritual slayings online.

Source: Liberia urged to probe suspected ritual killings

Liberia was created in 1847  by African-American colonists with the aid of the American Colonization Society, a white-dominated private organization, and political, military and financial support of the United States government.