Bong County, Liberia: missing child sparks fear and anger

It may be qualified as normal that parents are worried when one of their childen is missing and it’s also quite normal when neighbors and relatives share in these emotions and help in searching for the missing child. In Bong County, residents took to the streets and even stormed the police headquarters on February 5 after a 9-year old boy, little Moses Vesselee, was reported missing the previous day.

A community leader expressed the generally felt fear that the situation might be caused by a ritualistic killing. After all, in Bong County ritualistic killings are no exception.

In recent years several murders for ostensibly ritual purposes have been reported, mutilated bodies of victims (often young children) have been found. In 2017, a year when presidential and general elections were held, there were demonstrations in this vote-rich county against the reported surge in ritualistic killings.

On February 8, the body of little Moses Vesselee, commonly known Kuwai, was found in an open pit. The coroner concluded that the little boy had died from drowning, hence no ‘foul play’.

Be that as it may – and let’s hope the coroner’s conclusions are warranted and there was indeed no foul play – the incident shows once more the persistent problem of ritualistic killing in this West African country. The reader is reminded of Dr. Alan White’s testimony before the US Congress, in 2023. In his testimony, Dr. White, the former Chief Investigator of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, elaborated on the phenomenon of ritualistic murders in Liberia, and he linked the Weah Administration – replaced in January 2024 – to extrajudicial, ritualistic killings (see below for details).

Concluding, the anger and frustration of the Bong County residents who stormed the police headquarters may thus have become clear. Let’s hope that there is never again reason to reproach the police a slow response or lack of action, and let’s hope that no more ritualistic murders will take place.

Only the future will tell if this hope is justified.

Warning: the articles presented below contain graphic contents and pictures which may upset readers (FVDK).

Bong County: 9-year-old boy goes missing – residents storm Police’s HQs for speedy investigation

Published: February 8, 2024
By: J. Peter S. Dennis – News Public Trust, Liberia

GBARNGA, Liberia- Angry residents of Rubber Factory Community on have stormed the Headquarters of the Liberia National Police Bong County Detachment to intervene in the search of a missing nine-year-old child some 198 kilometers from Monrovia.

According to the furious citizens in this central city, Little Moses Vesselee commonly known as Kuwai, went missing during the afternoon hours of Sunday, February 4, 2024.

He and his parents including Church members had gone to dig sand at the bank of Jor River in Gbarnga. The Jor River is noted for its illegal and unregulated sand mining activities in Bong County.

Speaking on behalf of the angry citizens, Mr. Adolphus Kpana, the community leader and a resident, Clarence Sally, expressed fear that any delay in the search of Little Kuwai Vesselee might lead to an undesirable situation while reflecting on several reported ritualistic killings of minors in Bong County (italics and bold letter type added by the webmaster FVDK).

“We want you join us to look for the child. We’re against this act. We want our son,” they said.

“Any action of us not finding our son, the citizens will inspect every car leading to and fro Monrovia. We will not take this likely” they warned.

The Rubber Factory Community residents openly petitioned the Liberia National Police Bong County Detachment through its Assistant Commissioner of Police, Fasu V. Sherriff to investigate and intervene towards the search of the mysterious disappearance of the 9-yr-old boy.

The concerned citizens were seen with placards saying:  “Please stop the ritualistic killing in Bong; We want our son to be freed; the killing must stop, release our son.” (italics and bold letter type added by the webmaster FVDK).

In remarks, Sherriff said he and his men have instituted all security measures since they obtained information regarding the disappearance of little Moses Vesselee and expressed hope of finding the child alive.

He however, called on residents of Rubber Factory community to assist the police with vital information in the discharge of their investigation.

“We started since this morning looking for the boy as soon as we got the tipoff. We are sharing the information with our colleagues to find the boy alive. We want you to provide additional information to do our work. We need your cooperation,” Sheriff said.

Investigation into circumstances surrounding the child’s mysterious disappearance continues.

Source: In Bong: 9-Year-Old Boy Goes Missing, As Residents Storm Police’s HQs For Speedy Investigation

After four days the missing 9-year old boy was found dead:

Liberia: Missing Child, Moses, Found Dead in Sand Mining Deposit in Gbarnga
As  Police in Gbarnga say, an investigation is continuing into the mysterious  death of the little child

The late Moses T.K. Vesselee, age 9, was found dead in a sand mining deposit, 5ft 10 inches deep, with bruises on his head and his skin peeling.

Published: February 8, 2024
By: Patrick S. Tokpah – Daily Observer, Liberia

After being missing for four days, 9-year-old Moses T.K. Vesselee was discovered dead in Rubber Factory Community in Gbarnga, Bong County.

Popularly known in the community as Kuwai, Little Moses’ corpse was discovered on February 7, 2024, near the Jor River in the Rubber Factory Community, Gbarnga City. The 9-year-old boy’s remains were discovered in a sand mining deposit, about 5ft 10 inches deep, with bruises on his head while the outer layer of his skin was peeled or removed.

The deceased went missing on Sunday, February 4, 2024, at about 3:00 pm when he and his parents, along with other church members, had all gone to mine sand along the Jor River in the community.

Residents of the community in Gbarnga, Bong County, on February 5, 2024, stormed the headquarters of the Liberia National Police Bong County Detachment to intervene in the search for a missing nine-year-old child.

They expressed fear that delays in the search of the boy might lead to an undesirable situation reflective of circumstances involving the killings of other children in the county without the alleged perpetrators being brought to book.

Meanwhile, upon the discovery of Kuwai’s body on Wednesday, a 15-man jury constituted by the LNP Bong County CSD Department examined the body and reported “no foul” played, thereby instructing family members of the victim to immediately interrogate his remains. The coroner jury report further revealed that Little Vesselee died from drowning.

Furthermore, family members of the late Moses T.K. Vesselee, in a remorseful mood, concurred with the jury’s report but scapegoated police officers in the county over their delay in investigating the whereabouts of their 9-year-old son. 

Moreover, Police in Gbarnga say an investigation is continuing into the mysterious  death of the little child 

Prior to his death, Moses was a 5th-grade student at Community House Elementary and Junior High School, located in the Rubber Factory community of Gbarnga.

Source: Liberia: Missing Child, Moses, Found Dead in Sand Mining Deposit in Gbarnga

Some of the recent ritual murder cases in Bong County:

2015:

Girl, 11 found dead with missing body parts
Date: January 22, 2015
Published by: The New Dawn, Liberia

The decomposed body of an 11-year-old girl, who went missing in the Frank Joe Community in Gbarnga, Bong County has been found with several body parts allegedly extracted.

Sunday afternoon, 18 January, 2015 was a scene of grief and consternation in Gbarnga  as the minor’s  corpse was discovered along the bank of the Jor River in the central Liberia provincial capital.

Little Dailey Gbapue’s body parts, including vagina, ears, and nose were all reported missing when the body was discovered.

A relative of the deceased, Salome Gbapue, narrated that the little girl was sent by a neighbor of the community last week Wednesday afternoon, 14 January to go and buy something, but never return only to discover her dead body four days later with body parts reportedly missing.

She continued that they had to bury the little girl by the river bank because the body was almost decayed.

Miss Gbapue said a man only identified as Oldman had informed her that he knew the whereabouts of little Dailey Gbapue and she asked him to led her to the location, which he failed to do.

She said police have since arrested and detained Oldman and the female community resident, who sent the deceased on the errand.

Police in Bong County have confirmed the arrest and launched an intensive investigation into the incident.

Many residents are linking the death of little Dailey Gbapue to ‘heart man’ or ritualistic activities. Though dead bodies had been discovered in Gbarnga, especially in the Jor River in recent years, were no reports of body parts missing.

Bong County residents have called on police in the county to launch thorough investigation into the matter and bring the perpetrator to justice.

The death of little Dailey Gbapue has created fear in several quarters in the county with some expressing that this might be a return of ritualistic killings for power.

Source: Girl, 11 found dead with missing body parts

And in 2016 it was reported:

3-yr-old missing child found dead with several body parts missing
Published: February 23, 2016
By: Ramsey N. Singbeh, Jr. in Margibi-Edited by Jonathan Browne – The New Dawn, Liberia

Mr. Jackson father of missing boy, A three-year-old boy has been
mysteriously found dead in Kpatolee Clan, Salala District, lower Bong County.

The late Jacob Jackson was found dead on Thursday, February 18, 2016 with several parts extracted from his body after he had gone missing on 11 February in his parents’ garden. His lifeless body was discovered in a little water called Nanei about five minutes’ walk from his parents’ garden in a swamp.

Among parts that were missing from the lad’s body include eyes, nose, tongue and esophagus as well as his penis. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, February 20, the secretary of a 15-member jury only identified as Morris, explained the body was found lying on its back, completely naked with skin on forehead removed.

Morris also narrated they saw the area where the body was forcibly pushed and dragged into the water, but said no one has been linked to the gruesome death of little Jacob Jackson. He accused authorities of Kpatolee Clan of denying family of the deceased and community residents the opportunity to search houses in the area because news had earlier come that the boy was still alive in one of the houses in the community.

He said authorities of the clan prevented youth, including himself from erecting road block to draw the attention of central government. Morris recalled that on 14 February two strange guys were arrested with some drugs and turned over to the local authorities, but the suspects claimed they were in search of a local herb called country spot.

He said the guys were arrested with blade, toothbrush and flashlight in the same surrounding where the late Jacob went missing. “Of the two men, one claimed to have come from Kakata while the other said he came from Salala.”

He said they were immediately arrested and turned over to the police in Salala and subsequently sent to jail, but wants the suspects brought to justice. One resident of Salala who spoke on anonymity, said the child went missing in an area where his father was present and working the very day, but was reluctant to carry out a search despite pressure from his wife.

However, the boy’s mother continuously cried on him to help her find the child, and without getting his cooperation, reported the matter to residents of the town who compared him to stop work and join his wife to look for their son.

Mr. Jackson refused to speak to the press on the mysterious death of his son.

Source: 3-yr-old missing child found dead

2017 was an election year. In Liberia an election year often means an increase in ritualistic killings.

In August 2017, Bong County citizens took to the streets to protest against the reported surge in ritualistic murders. A leading Liberian newspaper, FrontPage Africa, published an alarming article on this citizens’ protest, Vote-Rich Liberian County Protests Election Year Ritualistic Killings’ which I posted.

Bong County citizens protest against ritualistic killings.

On October 15, 2021 the Liberia National Police gave a press briefing on the ritualistic killing in Bong County (and other national issues) which can be downloaded on YouTube, see below.

Screenshot. To watch the Liberia National Police Press Briefing on the Ritualist act in Bong County and other National Issues, please click here

The immediate reason for this press conference was the discovery of the mutilated body of a 21-year old woman in Gbarnga, Bong County’s capital. I posted this report, published by FrontPage Africa, a week later, on October 22, 2021 as ‘Liberia – another ritualistic murder: missing young woman found dead, body parts extracted‘.

Front Page Africa, October 15, 2021 reporting on the murder of a 21-year woman for ritualistic purposes.

The preceding overview does not pretend to be complete. Its main purpose is to demonstrate that the anger and fear of the residents of Bong County after 9-year old Kuwai Vesselee got missing was warranted.

For briefness sake I will refer here to Dr. Alan White’s testimony before the US Senate on ritual murders and mysterious disappearances in Liberia on September 19, 2023, linking the Weah Administration to extrajudicial, ritualistic killings. Dr. White is the Chief Investigator of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) .

Zimbabwe: staggering numbers of ritual murders

Before starting to read the first article presented below, readers should prepare themselves that they’re going to read a weird story. The author recounts a number of murder cases including ritual murders (often committed in a far past, the oldest murder cited was committed nearly 60 years ago) with a dead victim fighting from the grave – hence the article’s title. You will better understand what this means once reading the article’s details.

However, in the first two paragraphs the author mentions the overall number of murder cases (reported, committed, solved, murder trials) committed in Zimbabwe in 2021, 2022 and 2023, specified by province.

According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency at least 40 percent of the 3600 murder cases documented in 2022 were alleged ritual killings.(italics added by the webmaster FVDK).

If true (there is no reason to disbelieve the Statistics Agency but nevertheless I wonder whether there’s a typo here and I will verify the numbers reported) this means nearly 1500 ritual murder cases in 2022 alone!

A quick calculation points out that this means a monthly average of 120 ritually murdered victims, i.e. 4 ritual murders a day. This is very high given the overall population of Zimbabwe, about 16 million people, and it contrasts sharply with another statement of the author.

The author continues: “So widespread are incidents of ritual killing that in recent times barely a fortnight passes without the Zimbabwean media reporting on the heinous act in its various ghastly shades.” (bold letter added by the webmaster FVDK).

Nevertheless it seems safe and justified to conclude that the incidence of rituals murders is high in Zimbabwe even though the reported numbers need a thorough verification.

Be that as it may, a prudent estimate results in a about 300 ‘muti’ murders on a yearly basis, hence one every day – which is still a shocking number.

Concluding, the first article throws a particular light on the phenomenon of the belief in the supernatural in this Southern Africa country. In previous posts I’ve already included some of the ritualistic murder cases mentioned in the article. Some other murder cases are new. A very recent one is the suspected ritual murder of a three-year old girl in Guruve, Mashonaland Central Province. Caroline Makubhwakwa’s mutilated body, with some of the body parts missing, was discovered on January 25 after she got missing on January 17 (see the second article below).

Warning: the articles below contains graphic details which may upset some readers.
(webmaster FVDK)

Provinces of Zimbabwe (Source: Wikipedia)

When the dead fight from the grave

Published: February 3, 2024
By: Elliot Ziwira Senior Writer – The Herald, Zimbabwe

Source: When the dead fight from the grave

Read also:

Police probe ritual murder of a 3-year old girl

Published: February 2, 2024
By: Crime Reporter – The Herald, Zimbabwe

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi

Source: Police probe ritual murder of a 3-year old girl

Nigeria, Adamawa State: man who confessed being a witch and turning his neighbour into a chicken almost lynched to death

The following article contains a weird story. It’s not about a ritual murder or ritualistic act, although witchcraft could be included in the category of ritualistic acts. The common base is superstition and the belief in the supernatural impact of one’s occult acts or deeds.

Whatever the explanation may be of the behavior of the man who believes that he is a witch and has turned his neighbor into a chicken, the reason to include this article is the wish to demonstrate that also in Adawama State superstition, witchcraft and other ritualistic acts including murder exist. See my postings of 2018: Ritual Killings – over 20 children missing in Adamawa State, 2019: (Ritual killers on rampage in Adamawa State (a 2014 article, and 2021: Adamawa State: Rev. Dr Kehinde Babarinde: ‘The church must speak out against the ritual killing of women’.

Adamawa State is located in located in the North East geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones. 

Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones

Adamawa State is one of Nigeria’s largest states, it is the eight largest in land mass ( with a total land mass of 36,917 km2. It is Nigeria thirteenth least populous state with an estimated population of 6 – 7 million people. Adamawa State is mainly inhabited by Fulani people. Other ethnic groups in Adamawa State are the Mumuye, Higi, Kapsiki, Chamba, Margi (Marghi), Hausa, Kilba, Gude, Wurkum, Jukun, and Bata peoples. An estimated 100 indigenous ethnic groups live in this northeastern state which borders Cameroon.
Adamawa State is also religiously very diverse. About 50% of the population is Muslim and 40% is Christian while the remaining 10% are adherents of traditional ethnic religions.
(Source: Wikipedia.)
(webmaster FVDK)

For the official website of the Adawama State government: click here

Man confesses to being a witch and turning his neighbour into a chicken in Adamawa State

Published: August 15, 2023
By: Azonuchechi Chukwu – Naija247News, Nigeria

Ms Azonuchechi Chukwu has a BSC holder in mass communication Ebonyi State University

A 23-year-old man identified as Tangla Isuwa, was almost lynched to death in Adamawa State after he allegedly confessed to being a witch and turning his neighbour, Danladi Markus, “to a chicken for three weeks.”

Tangla, who hails from Dong community in Demsa Local Government Area of the state, allegedly said he bewitched Markus and made him sick for allegedly killing his father by witchcraft in the community.

It was gathered that some youths in the community descended on Tangla and beat him up in an attempt to kill him for the alleged crime.

Spokesman of the state police command, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, who confirmed the incident on Monday, August 14, 2023, said about 15 persons have been arrested for allegedly assaulting the suspect.

During interrogation by the PPRO, Tangla said that in 2020, a man known as Mabudi gave him charms to fortify himself, explaining that Mabudi had asked him to mix the charms with white chicken and eat after cooking it.

Tangla said after he had eaten the chicken mixed the charms, he started seeing animals like rats, horses and cattle with 3 legs and sometimes 6 legs without other people seeing them.

Tangla said that it was at this point in time that he knew he had been initiated into occultism, saying that since then, he became a full fledged witch.

He further narrated that his biological father died this year, and alleged that it was Danladi Markus and his step father known as Absalom who killed him by witchcraft.

According to him, after the death of his father, he met Mabudi and informed him about his plan to retaliate by killing Danladi Markus by witchcraft.

He said that he caught Danladi’s spirit by 2:00am and handed him over to other witches where they tied him with ropes on a mango tree, saying that Danladi became critically ill.

He pointed out that a family meeting was summoned, and that at the meeting, Danladi started mentioning his name and that of Mabudi as those responsible for his sickness

He said that Mabudi escaped from the venue of the meeting leaving him behind, and that immediately, some youths in the community stormed the meeting and forced him to “lose” Danladi or be killed.

Tangla explained that he had pleaded with the youths to wait until 12:00am for him to lose Danladi and assured them that he won’t be killed.

According to him, he went into the spirit and untied him, but that he suffered a lot because Mabudi did not want him to “lose Danladi but to slaughter him for meat.”

Tangla Isuwa assured that he had succeeded in releasing Danladi and that he is at the moment sound and healthy.

He insisted that he is a witch but vehemently denied killing anybody.

Source: Man confesses to being a witch and turning his neighbour into a chicken in Adamawa

Map of Nigeria showing Adamawa State among the 36 states of the Federation

Nigeria, Bauchi State: two men sentenced to many years in jail for attempted ritual use of 6-year-old girl’s private parts

Reportedly – see the article presented below – the two accused men committed a gruesome ritualistic murder. Hence it is not clear why the state prosecutor only accused them of criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt and attempting to commit culpable homicide. Be it as it may, the reported ritualistic act is repulsive and shows once more that superstition, ritualistic acts and criminal behavior also exist in Bauchi State, located in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones commonly called zones.

Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones

Of Nigeria’s 36 states, Bauchi State is the fifth largest in area with a total land area of 49,119 km2 (18,965 sq mi) representing slightly more than 5% of Nigeria’s total land mass. Bauchi is Nigeria’s seventh most populous state with an estimated population of between 7 and 8 million in 2023 composed of not less than 55 tribal groups which include Fulani, Gerawa, Sayawa, Jarawa, Kirfawa, Turawa, Bolewa, Karekare, Kanuri, Fa’awa, Butawa, Warjawa, Zulawa, Boyawa, MBadawa. The Fulani (Peiulh in French) are the main ethnic group.

The vast majority of the population, some 85%, are Muslim with smaller Christian (6%) and traditionalist minorities 9%). However, like in a number of other SSA countries remnants of traditional beliefs (and superstition) linger in the religious – muslim and christian – population.

Official website of Bauchi State Government: click here

Notable people from Bauchi State include Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912 – 15 January 1966), who was Nigeria’s first and only prime minister upon independence in 1960. He was murdered in a military coup in January 1966 under circumstances which have never been become clear. His body was dumped at a roadside near Lagos. He was buried in Bauchi.

Warning: The following articles contain graphic details which may upset readers (webmaster FVDK).

2 men bag 35 years imprisonment for attempted ritual use of 6-year-old girl’s private parts

2 men bag 35 years imprisonment for attempted ritual use of 6 year old girl’s private parts

The defendants were arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt and attempting to commit culpable homicide.

Published: December 12, 2023
By: News Agency of Nigeria – Pulse, Nigeria

Bauchi State High Court 1 has sentenced two persons, Adamu Abdulra’uf and Abdulkadir Wada to 35 years’ imprisonment each for causing grievous hurt and attempting to commit culpable homicide on a six-year-old girl.

Justice Rabi Umar convicted and sentenced Abdulra’uf, 20 years old, and Wada, 21 years old, after they pleaded guilty to the crime. Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Sabiu Gumba, told the court that the two defendants Abdulrauf and Wada were arraigned on August 17, 2021 on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt and attempting to commit culpable homicide.

The prosecution counsel called four witnesses including the father of the victim, while the defendants testified for themselves but didn’t call additional witnesses. Gumba tendered the two knives used in committing the crime, a bottle containing the private part of the girl and a powder.

The News Agency Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendants were alleged to have on December 30, 2020, at Jama’are Local Government Area of the state, strangled one Hauwa’u Ya’u. Ya’u, who was six years old at the time, fainted before they used knives to cut off her private part for ritual purposes.

Source:
2 men bag 35 years imprisonment for attempted ritual use of 6-year-old girl’s private parts

More:

Court Sentences Two Men to 70 Years For Removing 6-year-old Girl’s Genitals For Money Ritual in Bauchi (Photo)

Young ritualists

Published: December 12, 2023
By: Thandiubani – Tori, Nigeria

Justice Rabi Umar convicted and sentenced Abdulra’uf, 20, and Wada, 21, to 35 years each after they pleaded guilty to the crime. 

Two young teenagers have been sentenced to 70 years in prison for removing a 6-year-old girl’s genitals for money ritual. They were sentenced by a Bauchi State High Court 1.

The ritualists have been identified as Adamu Abdulra’uf and Abdulkadir Wada. They were sentence to 35 years each. 

The court had earlier heard how the defendants, on December 30, 2020, at Jama’are Local Government Area of the state, strangled one Hauwa’u Ya’u. Ya’u, who was six years old at the time, fainted before they used knives to cut off her private part for ritual purposes. 

Justice Rabi Umar convicted and sentenced Abdulra’uf, 20, and Wada, 21, to 35 years each after they pleaded guilty to the crime. Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Sabiu Gumba, told the court that the two defendants, Abdulrauf and Wada, were arraigned on August 17, 2021 on a three-count of criminal conspiracy, causing grievous hurt and attempting to commit culpable homicide. 

The prosecution counsel called four witnesses including the father of the victim, while the defendants testified for themselves but didn’t call additional witnesses. 

Gumba tendered the two knives used in committing the crime, a bottle containing the private part of the girl and a powder.

Source: Court Sentences Two Men to 70 Years For Removing 6-year-old Girl’s Genitals For Money Ritual in Bauchi (Photo)

Map of Nigeria showing Bauchi State among the 36 states of the Federation 

Uganda: some reflections on human sacrifice

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.

Districts of Uganda – Wikipedia

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.

Liberia: man narrowly escapes attempted ritualistic murder – suspected link with forthcoming elections (October 10)

Warning: the following story’s graphic content and photo may upset the reader.

One of Liberia’s best and most reliable newspapers, FrontPageAfrica, yesterday published a harrowing and scaring report on an attempted kidnapping, presumably for ritualistic purposes. It all happened in Paynesville, Greater Monrovia, Montserrado County, around 3:00 a.m. last Thursday, September 21.

When hearing or reading about alleged or attempted ritualistic murders I am always wary of the danger of jumping too soon to conclusions. But certain details of the story which the aimed victim Sherman Cooper tells us are very realistic: the black, unmarked car, a Nissan Pathfinder, the way he managed to escape from his agressors, as observed by an eyewitness, and above all his wounds, the cutting marks around his neck and another on his genitals. Moreover, and the author of the article, Lennart Dodoo, also mentions this explicitly, it is election time in Liberia: ‘Ritualistic killings during elections are not a new phenomenon in Liberia.’

Last week I put the spotlight on Dr. Alan White’s testimony before a subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives when the former Chief Investigator of the Special Court for Sierra Leone focused on the frequency of ritual murders in Liberia and the alleged link with the Weah Administration, notably the Office of the President.

It sounds unreal, in the 21st century, but we cannot close our eyes for the at times brutal reality. Investigations into real or alleged ritual killings very often fizzle out in Liberia, reportedly because of the alleged, suspected or real involvement of ‘big shots’ (politicians, high-ranking government officials or other highly-placed Liberians) – similar to investigations into alleged or real corruption.

We’ll see whether we ever hear more about this case…
(webmaster FVDK)

Liberia: Man Narrowly Escapes Attempted Ritualistic Murder; Brother Abducted by Kidnappers, Still Missing

Published: September 27, 2023
By: Lennart Dodoo – FrontPageAfrica, Liberia

MONROVIA – Saved by an act of bravery but severely wounded, Sherman Cooper, a victim of an alleged kidnapping and attempted ritualistic killing, now wonders about the whereabouts of his brother, Michael, whom the alleged kidnappers escaped with.

Sherman jumped out of the black, unmarked speeding Nissan Pathfinder, which had given him and his brother a lift from Paynesville, near the Fabulous opposite Bethesda.

FrontPageAfrica has confirmed that Sherman is currently receiving medical attention at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center’s trauma unit.

Some residents of the area and eyewitnesses say the unmarked black Nissan Pathfinder is often seen patrolling the VOA area in Paynesville.

An eyewitness who was driving behind the speeding SUV said he saw Sherman jump out of the moving vehicle. He said the kidnappers looked foreign and suspected them of being Burkinabe.

In a video seen by FrontPageAfrica, Sherman, who was stark naked and bloody, is seen with cutting marks around his neck and another on his genitals. He also sustained severe injuries on his knee, head, forehead, back, buttock, and thigh.

He is heard wailing, “I’m in pain, oh, I’m in pain, oh. Y’all help me. They carried my brother. They’re going to kill my brother. Y’all, please carry me to the hospital.”

He added, “The people put the windshield [glass] up, I fought. The passenger seat behind [extra cabin seat in the trunk] and two people were sitting behind we didn’t know. When we sat, that’s when they… I said ooh they want to kill us.”

FrontPageAfrica learned that the police and security authorities have been interrogating Sherman as the whereabouts of Michael remain unknown.

According to the eyewitness who saw Sherman jumping down from the car, he stopped his car and observed when he saw Sherman jump from the car. “He started crawling towards me, crying ‘Please help me, please help me,’” he explained.

This happened around Rehab.

According to the eyewitness, the incident occurred at about 3:30 a.m. last Thursday. In his narrative, he said Sherman and his brother were supposed to alight at Rehab, but as the vehicle approached Rehab, it increased its speed, and that’s when Sherman and his brother started fighting.

“The guys put a rope around their necks. They had two guys in the back seat, so they put a rope around their necks, and they started fighting. But he was fighting for his life, so he managed to hold on to the glass, and they tried to put the glass up, but his hands were already between the glass, so he managed to pull the glass down with strength while they were concentrating on taking off his private part, and he managed to jump through the window while they were at the junction,” the eyewitness explained.

Ritualistic killings during elections are not a new phenomenon in Liberia. In 2021, a UN human rights expert called on the government to investigate a series of killings that have occurred this year, some of which have reportedly been linked to ritualistic practices.

At least 10 people were killed in unclear circumstances in December 2021, including five in September, reportedly with suspected links to ritualistic practices or political motivations.

Last week, Dr. Alan W. White, Co-Executive Director of the Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights, delivered a compelling testimony before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, addressing the pressing issue of ritualistic killings in Africa, with a particular focus on Liberia. Dr. White shed light on the Foundation’s mission to combat human rights violations, including ritualistic killings and the alarming allegations linking these acts to high-ranking government officials, including the Executive Mansion.

In his testimony, Dr. White detailed the challenges faced in gathering information and conducting investigations into ritualistic killings, emphasizing the danger faced by sources who dare to speak out against these crimes.

Dr. White’s testimony also touched upon recent cases of ritualistic killings in Liberia, such as the mysterious disappearance of three young men hired for a task in Bong County in October 2020 by the St. Moses Funeral Home. The bodies of these young men were never returned to their families, and investigations into their deaths remain unresolved, raising suspicions of involvement by influential individuals with close government ties.

“The Foundation has received disturbing information about the frequency of such killings and the allegations linking it to the Executive Mansion (The Office of the President) and other high-ranking government officials. Details of these atrocities are difficult to obtain,” he said.

He also linked the past regime to acts of ritualistic killings, saying, “The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration during her 12 years (2006-2018) in office was plagued with ritual killings, and despite vows to bring them to an end, they continued. The same problems continue under the Weah administration, and unlike Sirleaf, there were no insiders reporting her direct involvement with the ritual killings.”

A graphic picture showing the injuries Sherman Cooper sustained. He’s currently receiving medical attention in the trauma unit of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center

Source: Liberia: Man Narrowly Escapes Attempted Ritualistic Murder; Brother Abducted by Kidnappers, Still Missing

Liberia – counties

Dr. Alan White, Former Chief Investigator of the SCSL, on ritual abuse in Sierra Leone and Liberia, links the Weah Administration to extrajudicial, ritualistic killings

A few days ago, on September 19, an important meeting took place in the United States, in the House of Representatives to be precise. A subcommittee on global human rights, of the Commission of Foreign Affairs, held a hearing on ‘Efforts to Address Ritual Abuse and Sacrifice in Africa’.

Witnesses invited to speak were Obed Byamugisha, Program Advisor, Kyampisi Childcare Ministries, Miriam Fullah, Trafficking in Persons Protection Manager, World Hope International, Dr. Alan White, Co-Executive Director, Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights and former Chief of Investigations of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL, which sentenced former Liberian warlord and president Charles Taylor to 50 years in prison), and Josephine Aparo, Founding Member, Global Survivor Network and International Justice Mission.

At least three leading Liberian newspapers published articles on the hearing, revelations and accusations notably of Dr. Alan White, who linked immediate past and present Liberian governments to ritualistic killings. The three articles – in the Daily Observer, Front Page Africa, and The New Dawn – are reproduced below. In a separate posting I will pay attention to the testimonies of the other witnesses.

The responsibility for the reporting on Dr. Alan White’s testimony in the three Liberian newspapers rests entirely with the publishers of said newspapers. White’s testimony addresses the roles of former president Sirleaf (2006 – 2018) and president Weah (2018 – present) and he formulates his observations and conclusions carefully. The newspapers’ headings are meant to attract the attention of the readers (buyers), without nuance. Therefore and to avoid any misunderstanding about White’s statements I’ve also included the full text of his important testimony (below).

Dr. White, who – as Chief Investigator of the SCSL – has extensive knowledge of ritualistic practices and abuses which occurred in Sierra Leone during this country’s civil war (1991-2002), also referred to these atrocities in his testimony. Moreover, he said, “This practice continues today in Sierra Leone and surges during election periods where people running for office believe that sacrificing a person, mostly younger boys and girls because it is believed the younger they are, the more power they get.”

With respect to Liberia he provides more than one example of ritualistic abuse and murder. His most serious accusation addresses the previous Administration of President Sirleaf and the present Weah Administration: “The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration during her 12 years (2006-2018) in office was plagued with ritual killings and despite vows to bring them to an end they continued. The same problems continue under the Weah administration and unlike Sirleaf there were no insiders reporting her direct involvement with the ritual killings. However, we have received information that current administration has been linked to ritualistic killings of children. Sources advise the police are not allowed to investigate these matters or if they do, it is done superficially as to not get to close to those involved. Also, because of the high-level links to the government it is taboo to say anything about it or otherwise you could be the next victim.” 

White could hardly be more specific when stating: “The Foundation has received disturbing information about the frequency of such killings and the allegations linking it to the Executive Mansion (The Office of the President) and other high-ranking government officials. Details of these atrocities are difficult to obtain.” 

On October 10, presidential and legislative elections will be held in Liberia. Should I add more?
(webmaster FVDK).

Liberia: Alan White Accuses Weah’s Gov’t of Extrajudicial, Ritualistic Killings

…. Calls for justice for murdered auditors, three missing boys resound at U.S. Congressional hearings

Piublished: September 20, 2023
By: William Q. Harmon – Daily Observer, Liberia

Renowned human rights activist and Co-Executive Director for the Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights (AFHR), Dr. Alan White has told the United States House Subcommittee on Foreign Affairs that President George Weah and his Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) are involved in acts of extrajudicial and ritualistic killing.

Addressing the subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, under the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Dr. White said that at least 10 people were killed in unclear circumstances in 2021, including five in September of that year reportedly with suspected links to ritualistic practices or political motivations.

The killings referenced by Dr. White, all of which occurred during the Weah administration, were never solved and remain fresh on the minds of Liberians as the country goes to the polls on October 10 this year, to elect a president, vice president and 88 legislators. 

On December 10, 2021, the United Nations issued a public statement –“A UN human rights expert today called on the Liberian Government to promptly investigate a series of killings that have occurred this year, some of which have reportedly been linked to ritualistic practices.” 

White told the subcommittee that his organization has received disturbing information about the frequency of such killings and the allegations linking it to the Executive Mansion (The Office of the President) and other high ranking government officials. Details of these atrocities, he said, are difficult to obtain. 

“Sources advise the police are not allowed to investigate these matters or if they do, it is done superficially as to not get too close to those involved,” White told the Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations at a hearing on Tuesday, 19 September.  “Also, because of the high-level links to the government it is taboo to say anything about it or otherwise you could be the next victim.”

White called on the U.S. government and global partners for the prosecution for these heinous crimes. “The killing must stop and hope your legislation can effect change and stop this madness once and for all,” he told the subcommittee. 

White’s AFHR, a nonprofit organization, located in Washington, DC, USA, targets human rights violators, that engage in public corruption and seek justice and accountability for the victims of such atrocities. The group is also actively engaged in conducting investigations and compiling information about those individuals who are committing ritualistic killings, especially in Liberia.

In his testimony, White made specific references to the mysterious disappearance of three young men who were hired by Moses Ahossouhe, owner of the St. Moses Funeral Parlor in Monrovia, to undertake a task in Bong County; the high profile death of four auditors; as well as other mysterious deaths that took place in the country under the Weah administration. 

On October 17, 2020, Robert M. Blamo, Jr, 29, Siafa  Gbana Boimah, 34, and Bobby S. Gbeanquoi, 32, were reported drowned in a river in Fuamah District, lower Bong County, when a canoe they were allegedly riding capsized.

“The bodies of the three young men were retrieved by Ahoussouhe and never returned to the parents. He has close ties to the President and the government,” White told the committee. “And the Ministry of Justice has failed to provide an update or release the outcome of an investigative report on circumstances that led to the conclusion they drowned. Why didn’t they release the bodies to the family?” 

The aggrieved families believed that their children are being kept in a sacred place to be used for alleged ‘ritualistic purposes’. The family members sought the assistance of the international community, including the US Embassy and the United Nations.”

Three of the most recent victims were either former officials or had links to high profile former politicians, he said. “Even a recent death of some young girls involved in political campaign event held by the CDC sparked outrage by the citizens and allegations their deaths were done for ritualistic reasons,” he said while referencing the headline of a local newspaper which said: Citizens to President Weah: ‘No ritual can help you from leaving office after the elections.’ 

White noted that the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration during her 12 years (2006-2018) in office was plagued with ritual killings and despite vows to bring them to an end they continued. “The same problems continue under the Weah administration and, unlike Sirleaf, there were no insiders reporting her direct involvement with the ritual killings,” he said.

Over the past 20 years White has been actively engaged in seeking justice and accountability for victims of human rights violations and conducting criminal investigations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Africa, most specifically West Africa. From July 2002-July 2005, he was detailed to the United Nations backed Special Court for Sierra Leone located in Freetown, Sierra Leone West Africa where he served as the Chief of Investigations. 

“As Chief of Investigations of the Special  Court for Sierra Leone, I directed all criminal investigations which led to numerous indictments and convictions, most notably was former Liberian President Charles Taylor who was the first sitting Head of State to be indicted and convicted for war crimes and continues to serve his 50 year prison sentence.” 

White was one of four witnesses who testified during the hearing on the theme: “Efforts to Address Ritual Abuse and Sacrifice in Africa” on Tuesday, September 19, 2023. The others were Obed Byamugisha, Program Advisor, Kyampisi Childcare Ministries; Miriam Fullah, Trafficking in Persons Protection Manager, World Hope International; and Josephine Aparo, Founding Member, Global Survivor Network and International Justice Mission. 

He applauded the work of the Subcommittee and its members, noting that his organization will continue to work on the issues. “We hope that this Hearing will shed a very bright light on a very dark issue plaguing many African countries and especially Liberia, who experienced this despicable crime against humanity during war and peace, yet it doesn’t stop,” he said. 

His testimony to the U.S. House Subcommittee is the latest deposit in a trove of numerous reports with claims of crime and corruption on the part of the Weah administration. So far, some of these claims have resulted in sanctions against three of Weah’s top lieutenants — former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill; former Solicitor General, Cllr. Saymah Syrenius Cephus; and former Managing Director of the National Port Authority, Bill Twehway. 

Yet, amid the U.S. sanctions, the three individuals continue to wield influence across the country — especially during the current election period, as Both McGill and Twehway are splurging cash to gain favor with voters in order to be elected to legislative office come October 10. 

Dr. White’s hope that the U.S. Congress’ “…  legislation can effect change and stop this madness once and for all,” might resonate with many Liberians at home and abroad, but the October 10 elections will be the litmus test of whether the critical mass of Liberians at home feel the same way about the state of affairs in their country.

Source: Liberia: Alan White Accuses Weah’s Gov’t of Extrajudicial, Ritualistic Killings

AND:

Liberia: Dr. Alan White Highlights Ritualistic Killings in Liberia before U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee; Links Immediate Past and Current Government

Published: September 20, 2023
By: Lennart Dodoo – Front Page Africa, Liberia

Washington, D.C. – Dr. Alan W. White, Co-Executive Director of the Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights, delivered a compelling testimony before the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, addressing the pressing issue of ritualistic killings in Africa, with a particular focus on Liberia. Dr. White shed light on the Foundation’s mission to combat human rights violations, including ritualistic killings and the alarming allegations linking these acts to high-ranking government officials, including the Executive Mansion.

The Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., has been dedicated to targeting human rights violators, exposing public corruption, and advocating for justice and accountability for the victims of such atrocities.

Others who testified before the Committee headed by Congressman Chris Smith Obed Byamugisha, Program Advisor, Kyampisi Childcare Ministries; Miriam Fullah, Trafficking in Persons Protection Manager, World Hope International; Josephine Aparo
Founding Member, Global Survivor Network and International Justice Mission.

In his testimony, Dr. White detailed the challenges faced in gathering information and conducting investigations into ritualistic killings, emphasizing the danger faced by sources who dare to speak out against these crimes.

Dr. White’s credentials as Chief of Investigations for the Special Court for Sierra Leone, where he directed criminal investigations leading to numerous indictments and convictions, lent significant weight to his testimony. He notably highlighted the conviction of former Liberian President Charles Taylor, the first sitting Head of State to be indicted and convicted for war crimes, serving a 50-year prison sentence.

Screenshot – to watch the video, click here

The Special Court for Sierra Leone was established to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the devastating civil war in Sierra Leone, spanning from 1991 to 2002, which resulted in the deaths of over 70,000 people. Dr. White’s investigations led him to neighboring Liberia, which also experienced two brutal civil wars, resulting in the deaths of over 250,000 Liberians.

During his tenure as Chief of Investigations, Dr. White bore witness to unspeakable human rights violations perpetrated through ritualistic activities, a phenomenon he had not encountered before. He recounted a chilling story from 2002, where a 70-year-old man seeking a political position in a local Village, believed in black magic and sacrificed a 9-year-old boy to gain power. This horrifying act shed light on the prevalence of ritualistic killings in West Africa, where individuals commission murders to obtain body parts for magic spells and gain political power.

The Foundation has received disturbing information about the frequency of such killings and the allegations linking it to the Executive Mansion (The Office of the President) and other high-ranking government officials. Details of these atrocities are difficult to obtain.

Dr. Alan W. White, Co-Executive Director of the Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights

Dr. White’s testimony revealed the widespread practice of ritualistic killings during Sierra Leone’s civil war, with various rebel groups and warring factions, such as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), and the Civil Defense Force (CDF), routinely engaging in such acts. He described how rebels would boast about consuming the organs of their victims, believing it granted them supernatural power.

Importantly, Dr. White highlighted that ritual killings persist in Sierra Leone today, often escalating during election periods when some politicians believe they can gain power through human sacrifices. These alarming practices have also been reported in Liberia, where ritualistic killings are a combination of traditional beliefs and the criminal behavior of unscrupulous politicians.

Liberia has a history of ritualistic killings during its civil wars, with figures like Milton Blahyi, also known as ‘General Butt Naked’, publicly admitting to eating children’s hearts and taking part in human sacrifices to ensure victory in battle.

Dr. White’s testimony also touched upon recent cases of ritualistic killings in Liberia, such as the mysterious disappearance of three young men hired for a task in Bong County in October 2020 by the St. Moses Funeral Home. The bodies of these young men were never returned to their families, and investigations into their deaths remain unresolved, raising suspicions of involvement by influential individuals with close government ties.

“The Foundation has received disturbing information about the frequency of such killings and the allegations linking it to the Executive Mansion (The Office of the President) and other high-ranking government officials. Details of these atrocities are difficult to obtain,” he said.

He also linked the past regime to acts of ritualistic killings, saying “The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration during her 12 years (2006-2018) in office was plagued with ritual killings and despite vows to bring them to an end they continued. The same problems continue under the Weah administration and unlike Sirleaf there were no insiders reporting her direct involvement with the ritual killings.”

Dr. White commended the Subcommittee for its work and called for a thorough examination of the issue of ritualistic killings in Africa, especially in Liberia. He urged legislation that could bring an end to these heinous crimes, emphasizing the importance of exposing those involved and prosecuting them for their actions. The Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights remains committed to addressing this dark issue plaguing many African countries and hopes that the Subcommittee’s efforts will help put an end to these atrocities once and for all.

Source: Liberia: Dr. Alan White Highlights Ritualistic Killings in Liberia before U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee; Links Immediate Past and Current Government

AND:

The killings must stop! 

— Dr. Alan White asks U.S. for prosecution of those in ritualistic killings in Liberia

Published: September 20, 2023
By: New Dawn, Liberia

The U.N. former chief investigator for the special court of Sierra Leone, Dr. Alan White is requesting prosecution for ritualistic killings and despicable crimes against humanity in Liberia during war and in peace, saying “the killings must stop.”

Dr. Alan briefed U.S. lawmakers in Washington Tuesday, 19 September 2023, giving historical accounts of recent killings and those carried out during Liberia’s civil war for ritualistic purposes.

“Those involved need to be exposed and prosecuted for these heinous crimes. The killings must stop, and we hope that through legislature can effect change and stop this madness once and for all,” said Dr. White.

Dr. White indicated that former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s administration was plagued with ritualistic killings, and the same problem continues under incumbent President George Manneh Weah’s administration.

Unlike Sirleaf’s administration, Dr. White said, there was no insider reporting on her direct involvement on ritualistic killings.

However, he said he has received information that President Weah’s administration is being linked to the ritualistic killings of children.

He said sources have revealed that the police are only allowed to investigate these matters in a conspicuous but very superficial manner.

Dr. White explained that notable of these cases is the incident involving victims Robert Blamo, Jr., 29, Siafa Boimah, 33 and Blama, who went missing after being hired by St. Moses Funeral Parlor proprietor Mr. Moses Ahoussouhe to undertake a contract in Bong Mines.

Mr. Ahoussouhe was accused of hiring the three men on Saturday, 15 October 2020 to travel to Bong Mines to do technical work for him at his diamond creek when all three of them went missing. They were alleged to have drowned when a canoe they were riding in had capsized.

Dr. White said Ahoussouhe (St. Moses) retrieved the bodies of the three young men but they were never returned to their parents.

“He has close ties with the president and the Government of Liberia, and through the Ministry of Justice, he has contact as well. They failed to provide update or release the outcome of the investigation or report on the circumstances that led to the conclusion [that] they drowned,” said Dr. White.

Dr. White indicated that the aggrieved families believe that their children are being kept in a secret place to be used for ritualistic purposes.

He said the family members sought the assistance of the international community including the U.S. Embassy and the United Nations, leading the UN to call on the Liberian government to investigate killings which had been reported to link to ritual practice.

In 2021 alone, Dr. White said at least ten people were killed, reportedly linked to ritualistic killing or political motivation.

He added that they were either former officials or had links to former politicians. White noted that recent deaths involving some girls during President George Manneh Weah’s 2023 political campaign outraged the citizens.

He said the allegation is that the killings were done for ritualistic reasons. He also referenced citizens’ message to President Weah which was carried in the NewDawn newspaper’s headline that no amount of money or rituals can help President Weah and his Coalition for Democratic Change from leaving office after the 10 October 2023 elections.

Dr. White said his organization will continue to work on these issues in African countries, especially Liberia which experiences despicable crimes against humanity during war and in peace.

He recalled that during the 14 years civil war in Liberia, there were so many cases where gunmen, some of them child soldiers, ate victims’ body parts.

He stated that it was well documented that during Liberia’s civil war, ritualistic killing was a common place, naming Gen. Butt Naked, now Evangelist Milton Blayee as of the notorious culprits.

According to Dr. White, Mr. Blayee testified before Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that he ate children’s hearts.

He said Blayee indicated that human sacrifices were intended to ensure victories in battles.

Source: The killings must stop!
– Dr. Alan White asks U.S. for prosecution of those in ritualistic killings in Liberia

AND:

Full text of the Testimony Submitted to The Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations – “Efforts to Address Ritual Abuse and Sacrifice in Africa” – September 19, 2023 – 10:00 a.m.
Statement of Dr. Alan W. White,
Co-Executive Director – Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights – Washington, D.C. and Founding Chief of Investigations of the United Nations backed Special Court for Sierra Leone.

First of all I would like to the thank Chairman Congressman Chris Smith and Ranking Member Congresswoman Susan Wild, of the U.S. House of Representatives Global Health, Global Human Rights, International Organizations and other members of this Subcommittee for holding this very important hearing. I also want to publicly commend Congressman Smith for his tireless and unwavering efforts in seeking justice and accountability for countless victims of human rights violations from around the Globe. You provide a voice that otherwise would go unheard and a platform to those victims, who have suffered and continue to suffer with no one to turn to. Your steadfast support is globally recognized and very much needed in these troubled times we live in, and where so many atrocities are being committed around the world. 

I am the Co-Executive Director for the Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights, a non- profit organization, located in Washington, DC. The Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights targets human rights violators, that engaged in public corruption and justice and accountability for the victims of such atrocities. We are actively engaged in conducting investigations and compiling information about those individuals who are committing ritualistic killings, especially in Liberia. The Foundation has received disturbing information about the frequency of such killings and the allegations linking it to the Executive Mansion (The Office of the President) and other high-ranking government officials. Details of these atrocities are difficult to obtain. 

Sources to the Foundation are endangered just by speaking out – and I will discuss this later in my testimony. 

Over the past 20 years I have been actively engaged in seeking justice and accountability for victims of human rights violations and conducting criminal investigations of war crimes and crimes against humanity on the continent of Africa, most specifically West Africa. During my last 3 years of Federal Law Enforcement service from July 2002-July 2005, I was detailed to the United Nations backed Special Court for Sierra Leone located in Freetown, Sierra Leone West Africa where I served as the Chief of Investigations. As Chief of Investigations of the Special Court for Sierra Leone I directed all criminal investigations which led to numerous indictments and convictions, most notably was former Liberian President Charles Taylor who was the first sitting Head of State to be indicted and convicted for war crimes and continues to serve his 50 year prison sentence. 

The Special Court for Sierra Leone was established to investigate and prosecute those who bear the greatest responsibilty for the civil war in Sierra Leone, which lasted from March 1991 to January 2002 and resulted in the deaths of over 70,000 people. Our investigations led us to neighboring Liberia which had suffered two civil wars, the first from December 1989 to August 1997 and then again in 1999 to 2003 where over 250,000 Liberians were killed. 

While serving as the Chief of Investigations I witnessed and investigated some of the most horrific and unspeakable human rights violations no one could ever imagine that someone could inflict on another human being. The horrors of civil war are always tragic, however, to see those involved in the commission of killing and torturing another human being by engaging in ritualistic activities was something I had not seen before and quite frankly prepared to deal with. Yet shortly after I arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone I recall in August 2002 a news story where a 70-year-old man seeking to become a Paramount Chief of a local Village, a political position in traditional system of local government and an integral element of governance, was convicted of a ritualistic killing. I learned quickly that ritualistic killings were common place, particularly in West Africa. This story reported the man seeking to become a Paramount Chief believed in black magic and in order to get elected he needed to sacrifice a young child and in this case he bought a 9-year old boy for 800,000 leones ($160) from a family desperate for money.  

Reportedly he gruesomely killed the 9-year-old boy by slitting his throat and removing his liver and taking some blood to local witch doctors in the neighboring country of Guinea where they would use in making a liquid concoction he could drink and give him what is known as “Juju”. This was a term I learned later meant power and used in ritualistic killings by rebels fighting in the civil wars, both in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Suprisingly, I learned that ritual killings or human sacrifices to local deities were customary in parts of West Africa, where some people commission killings to obtain body parts for magic spells to gain political power and influence. 

Early on during my criminal investigations of war crimes and crimes against in Sierra Leone I heard routinely about ritualistic killings involving the various rebel group and warring factions in Sierra Leone, which included the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and the Civil Defense Force (CDF). 

The war started in Kailahun, so we started our investigations in that part of the country where we uncovered numerous mass graves and in most cases the victims were civilians, including children. Their identities were mostly unknown, although some names were given. However, our witness interviews revealed that the RUF or RUF/AFRC were identified as the alleged perpetrator. 

There were several causes of death of the victims reported including they were locked in houses and burnt, “ritual human sacrifice for protection” and gunshot and knife wounds. One of the witnesses interviews I recall involved a female RUF ex-child combatant, who advised that ritual killings were routinely practiced on enemy fighters or on civilians, including children. Sadly, the rebels from the various warring factions would boast about killing their enemy, many of which were young child soldiers, and eating their heart, drinking their blood, or eating other body parts claiming they received extra power from doing so. 

This practice continues today in Sierra Leone and surges during election periods where people running for office believe that sacrificing a person, mostly younger boys and girls because it is believed the younger they are, the more power they get. The Voice of America (VOA) in Freetown in 2012 reported on the so-called ritual murders during election time and have been a part of African society for centuries. “In Sierra Leone, some believe ritual murders increase  during election time because some politicians think they will gain political power from another human’s body parts.” 

Chief Minister, NaCSA Boss Indicted in Attempted Ritual Murder of Virgins Girls in Freetown (sierraloaded.sl) 

In October 2021 a senior government official, who reported to the President of Sierra Leone was indicted for an attempted ritual murder of six “Virgin Girls” in Freetown. The Chief Minister in Sierra Leone has been accused of forcing a primary school teacher to kidnap six virgin schoolgirls for ritualistic purposes. Fortunately, the plot was foiled when one of the whistleblowers came forward and reported it to the police which led to the Chief Minister’s arrest and indictment. However, reportedly he was released from custody while the investigation continued and to date no prosecution has occurred. 

Dr Fred P.M. VAN DER KRAAIJ, author of a blog known as liberiapastandpresent.org, who lived and worked in Liberia as an Economist has chronicled a number of the ritualistic killings and other significant events in Liberia. In one of his blogs, he writes — “Today’s practice of ritual killings in Liberia – because it still exists! – mainly is a combination of traditional beliefs which inspire men-eating and modern-day criminal behavior of unscrupulous politicians who consider their ambitions worth more than the life of their victims. During the 14-year civil war (1989-2003) there were so many cases of gunmen – some of them child soldiers – eating their victim’s hearts and other body parts that the Catholic Church issued a formal denunciation of these practices (Stephen Ellis, The Mask of Anarchy, 1999: dust jacket). Liberia.” 

It is well documented that during the civil wars in Liberia that ritual killings were commonplace and one of the most notorious rebels engaged in such horrific acts, is Milton Blahyi aka General Butt Naked, a feared former Rebel Commander who fought in the Liberian civil war. He testified before the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) where he publicly stated “I ate children’s hearts,” and admitted to taking part in human sacrifices as part of traditional ceremonies intended to ensure victory in battle. He also told BBC that his forces his forces had killed over 20,000 people. 

During the first civil war (1989-1996) there were also other reports about Charles Taylor and his rebels accounts reportedly the formation of a group of cannibals called Top 20 of which he was a member. Reportedly the group, comprised of Taylor and 16 rebels of his own army known as the National Patriotic Front for Liberia (NPFL) engaged in human sacrifices at Taylor’s house. 

On December 10, 2004, BBC publicly reported Hundreds of Liberian women had taken to the streets of the capital, Monrovia, protested against a recent wave of ritual killings. Bodies of children had been found with some of their organs missing, taken for what are viewed as magical properties. These killings were reportedly linked to politicians and the wealthy, who many believe to pay for the murders to increase their chances of good fortune. 

There were other media reports documenting, including the Analyst, the discovery of the bodies of two unidentified children around the Du River area. One of the victims was a girl believed to be 12 years old. The media reports quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the body was discovered with “fresh blood coming from its mouth and nose.” 

The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration during her 12 years (2006-2018) in office was plagued with ritual killings and despite vows to bring them to an end they continued. The same problems continue under the Weah administration and unlike Sirleaf there were no insiders reporting her direct involvement with the ritual killings. However, we have received information that current administration has been linked to ritualistic killings of children. Sources advise the police are not allowed to investigate these matters or if they do, it is done superficially as to not get to close to those involved. Also, because of the high-level links to the government it is taboo to say anything about it or otherwise you could be the next victim. 

One of the most notable allegations of ritualistic killings involve the mysterious disappearance of three young men who were hired by the Proprietor of the St. Moses Funeral Parlor to undertake a task in Bong County. On October 17, 2020, Robert M. Blamo, Jr, 29, Siafa Gbana Boimah, 34, and Bobby S. Gbeanquoi, 32, were reported drowned in a river in Fuama district, lower Bong County when a canoe they were allegedly riding capsized while returning to their respective homes. They were reportedly contracted to do a, “piece of job” at the Oriental mining company owned and operated by Mr. Moses H. Ahossouhe (Proprietor of St. Moses Funeral Parlour), and one Mr. Abraham S. Samuels. It was reported by Mr. Ahoussouhe that the three young men drowned. The bodies were retrieved by Mr. Ahoussouhe and never returned to the parents. He has close ties to the President and the Government of Liberia (GOL), through the Ministry of Justice has failed to provide an update or release the outcome of an investigative report on circumstances that led to the conclusion they drowned. Why didn’t they release the bodies to the family? 

The aggrieved families believed that their children are being kept in a sacred place to be used for alleged “ritualistic purposes.” The family members sought the assistance of the international community, including the US Embassy and the United Nations. 

On December 10, 2021, the United Nations issued a public statement –“ A UN human rights expert today called on the Liberian Government to promptly investigate a series of killings that have occurred this year, some of which have reportedly been linked to ritualistic practices.” 

At least 10 people have been killed in unclear circumstances in 2021, including five in September reportedly with suspected links to ritualistic practices or political motivations. According to information received by the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, Morris Tidball-Binzthree of the most recent victims were either former officials or had links to high profile former politicians. 

Even a recent death of some young girls involved in political campaign event held by the CDC sparked outrage by the citizens and allegations their deaths were done for ritualistic reasons. The local headlines read – Liberia – Citizens to President Weah: ‘No ritual can help you from leaving office after the elections.’ 

On August 24, 2023, the New Dawn News reported Several residents of Montserrado County have told incumbent President George Manneh Weah that no amount of alleged human sacrifice, ritual, and money can prevent him and the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) from leaving office. 

“We want to tell President Weah that no amount of human sacrifice, ritual, and money can help in this election,” potential voters said in Montserrado County.” 

The foundation will continue to work on this issue and applauds the work of this Subcommittee and its members. We hope that this Hearing will shed a very bright light on a very dark issue plaguing many African countries and especially Liberia who experienced this despicable crime against humanity during war and peace, yet it doesn’t stop. Those involved  need to be exposed and prosecuted for these heinous crimes. The killing must stop and hope your legislation can effect change and stop this madness once and for all. 

Source: Testimony Submitted to The Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on
Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations – “Efforts to Address Ritual Abuse and Sacrifice in Africa”; September 19, 2023 – 10:00 a.m. – Statement of Dr. Alan W. White, Co-Executive Director, Advocacy Foundation for Human Rights, Washington, D.C.

Chopped up with an axe and a heart eaten out – an atrocious crime committed in Lofa County, Liberia, in 1993

Warning: the following article contains a graphic description of an inhumane act

I’ve written on an earlier occasion on the atrocities, ritualistic murders, cannibalism and other war crimes committed during Liberia’s civil war – for shortness sake let me refer to my October 20, 2022 posting, entitled ‘Atrocities, witchcraft, superstition and ritualistic cannibalism during Liberia’s First Civil War (1989-1997)‘.

There’s not much to add without risking repeating myself. Let me just briefly mention what I consider the triple motive of the perpetrator(s): first, to intimidate the bystander, the perceived enemy; secondly, to make clear that he, the actor, is the strongest, the conquerer, and thirdly, without doubt, there is a religious or superstitious drive, a belief in the supernatural powers of eating the heart of the enemy. Notably the latter motive makes it a ritualistic act, and murder, a despicable crime.

The 2009 report of Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) includes many examples of ritualistic acts committed during the back-to-back civil wars (1989-2003). For reasons only known to herself, President Sirleaf (2006-2018) never implemented the TRC recommendations including the prosecution of the rebel leaders responsible for war crimes and human rights violations, possibly because she was also recommended for a sanction because of her (admitted) support of the NPLF, the rebel organization which started the civil war in 1989. Also President Weah (2018 – present) decided not to start procedures establishing a war crimes court, backtracking on previous statements when still in opposition.

The result is impunity for the perpetrators. Injustice. An insult to the survivors and victims.

Liberians will go to the polls on October 10 to elect a president, vice president and 88 lawmakers. The incumbent president, George Weah, has shown his position when it comes to justice for the victims and survivors. His main challengers are a former Vice President under President Sirleaf, Joseph Boakai, from Lofa County, whose running mate is a political protégé of warlord-turned-senator Prince Johnson – yes, the rebel commander who in 1990 gave his men orders to torture and kill then President Samuel Doe – and Alexander Cummings, who has promised to establish a war crimes tribunal when elected into the highest office.

We’ll closely watch events in Liberia during the coming month(s).
(FVDK)

Chopped up with an axe and a heart eaten out: some crimes never die

Published: September 13, 2023
By: Alain Werner – Civitas Maxima

Exactly 30 years ago, in the summer of 1993, a group of rebel soldiers sowed unheard-of terror in the town of Foya, in the small West African country of Liberia, then ravaged by civil war.

Here, 450 kilometers north of the capital Monrovia, a pious man respected by his community had the courage to denounce the rebel group that occupied the premises, ULIMO (United Liberation Movement of Democracy for Liberia). He did so to a humanitarian group, and told them that ULIMO was responsible for the looting of a hospital financed by humanitarian aid.

Once the foreigners had left, the pious man was taken to what was then used as an airstrip and his thorax was cut out by the rebels, his heart extracted and eaten in front of the population. “Try ULIMO, your heart” – which could be translated as “Defy ULIMO, we’ll take your heart” – was one of the slogans used to terrorize the population, a slogan that some civilians who survived that inferno still remember.

The most bloodthirsty of the ULIMO commanders, who opened the pious man’s chest with an axe and spread his killing spree to Foya, was known by the war nickname of “Ugly Boy”, despite his handsome features. The local population, who spoke a different dialect than the ULIMO soldiers, had nicknamed this commander differently among themselves, so as to be able to alert each other to his arrival without being understood by the rebels. They called him “Saah Chuey”, or “the man with the axe” in the Kissi language, as this commander was famous for chopping up civilians with his axe.

“Ugly Boy” was never tried for his ignominious deeds. Indeed, legend has it that he died by popular vindication, having been recognized in Guinea by refugees who had fled Liberia. However, if he were still alive today, “Ugly Boy” would still not have been tried in Liberia.

Indeed, in August we will be celebrating 20 years since the end of the wars in this country, and yet no one has been tried by a court in the country; the government and the United Nations having done nothing for the forgotten victims of Liberia. Despite the fact that a national Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommended in 2009 that the main players in the war should be brought to justice, and that at least 250,000 people lost their lives during these bloody conflicts between 1989 and 2003.

However, on Thursday June 1, 2023, the Federal Criminal Court of Appeal in Switzerland convicted a man, Alieu Kosiah, of participating in the axe murder of the Pious Man. Jurisdiction was given in our country because Mr. Kosiah had been resident in Lausanne since the late 1990s. The conviction came exactly 30 years after the events, and was handed down in Bellinzona, seat of the Federal Criminal Court, some 7,000 kilometers from the scene of the crimes, Foya.

Alieu Kosiah had already been convicted in June 2021 by the Criminal Court for multiple acts of war crimes, including having eaten a piece of the pious man’s heart in the company of “Ugly Boy”. At the time, however, he was found not guilty of the axe-murder, the first judges considering that he had not played an active role in this crime.

The appeal judges decided otherwise and sentenced Alieu Kosiah for complicity in the murder of the pious man, an act qualified as a war crime and a crime against humanity. During the reading of the verdict, the President of the Court, Olivier Thormann, explained that, according to the Court, Alieu Kosiah had handed the pious man over to “Ugly Boy” to be taken to the Foya airstrip, knowing full well what would happen next.

This appeal judgment marks Swiss legal history, as it is the very first conviction in our country for crimes against humanity. It now opens the way for prosecutions in Switzerland for such crimes, even if committed before 2011 and the entry into force of the new provisions of the penal code.

As a lawyer and Director of Civitas Maxima, since 2014 I have represented several Liberian victims in this case alongside Me Romain Wavre, including a friend of the pious man who was present at the scene and witnessed his ordeal, having himself been a victim of ULIMO crimes.

Our clients and other victims have shown exceptional resilience, dignity and courage. Most of them came to Switzerland three times to testify throughout the proceedings, and overcame the obstacles posed by the Ebola epidemic in 2014-2015 and the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-2021 to finally obtain justice.

War crimes and crimes against humanity are unique in that they “never die”. Indeed, because they concern the international community as a whole, these offences are not extinguished by a statute of limitations after a certain number of years, as is the case for most ordinary crimes. Prosecutions for war crimes and crimes against humanity are thus theoretically possible as long as the person accused of committing them is alive and evidence exists, theoretically even if the victims are all dead. Just as the forgotten victims of Liberia obtained justice in Switzerland in 2023 for crimes committed so far away in 1993, victims of international crimes committed during current or recent armed conflicts must never lose hope. Even if we must do everything to ensure that they obtain justice before 2053 for the crimes they have suffered.


The article first appeared in French on Heidi News on the 16th of July, 2023.

Source: Chopped up with an axe and a heart eaten out: some crimes never die

Zimbabwe: High Court to deliver ruling in the Tapiwa Makore ritual murder case on June 29

Much has already been said and written about the notorious Tapiwa Makore ritual murder case which shocked Zimbabwe in 2020 and 2021. I have extensively reported on the brutal ritual murder of the 7-year old boy, Tapiwa Makore. See for a succinct overview my postings dated October 26, 2020 and April 25, 2021.

I ceased reporting on this murder case on October 26, 2021 but promised to continue to follow this case and to come back on this place with more news once it will have become available.

In October 2022 the two accused – Tafadzwa Shamba and the late boy’s uncle and namesake Tapiwa Makore Senior – were acquitted in a surprising turn of events. The State withdrew the charges against the two for lack of incriminating evidence.

On June 29, the High Court of Zimbabwe is set to deliver judgement on Tapiwa Makore’s alleged ritual killers. Thereafter the case wil be closed. Hence, read the following report.

For the reader who is less familiar with this notorious ritual murder case I may refer to my two postings mentioned above and to the link included in the article which follows below and which can be accessed separately here as well as after the first article below.

Warning: some readers may be upset because of the graphic description of the Tapiwa Makore ritual murder and following events (webmaster FVDK).

The slain Tapiwa Makore

High Court To Deliver Ruling On Tapiwa Makore’s Alleged Killers On 29 June

Published: June 26, 2023
By: Pindula News, Zimbabwe

The High Court is set to deliver judgement on Tapiwa Makore’s suspected killers on Thursday, reported ZBC News.

Justice Munamato Mutevedzi, who presided over the trial, is expected to hand down the long-awaited judgment, bringing the matter to finality.

The prime suspect in the matter, Tafadzwa Shamba and his accomplice, the late boy’s uncle and namesake, Tapiwa Makore Senior, allegedly killed the boy in 2020 for ritual purposes.

They allegedly killed and mutilated the then seven-year-old boy to boost Tapiwa Snr’s cabbage business.

Tapiwa was a Grade One learner at Nyamutumbu Primary School and his teacher, Keresia Makamure, described him as an intelligent, obedient child whose future was bright.

The boy was sent by his parents to look after the garden on the morning of 17 September 2020.

Later that day, Tapiwa’s parents went to the garden to do some watering and found that their son was missing.

His parents and some villagers started searching for him and the search was conducted until midnight but they could not find him.

On the following day, 18 September, in the morning, a neighbour reportedly woke up and discovered his dog and its puppies feasting on human body parts in his yard.

He then informed Tapiwa’s parents and a report was made to the police. The body’s head was missing.

Several arrests people were arrested in connection with the murder, including Thanks Makore, Tapiwa’s uncle amid allegations that he was given the boy’s head and arms.

Thanks was said to be a twin brother of Tapiwa Makore Snr, and a cousin of Munyaradzi Makore, Tapiwa Makore Jnr’s father.

On 13 October 2022, Justice Mutevedzi formally acquitted Thanks Makore and another suspect Moud Hunidzarira of the murder of Tapiwa Makore Jnr at the close of the prosecution case.

Hunidzarira of Budiriro, Harare, was arrested during the weekend of 31 October and 01 November 2020 following a tip-off by the public.

It was alleged that she was in Murewa when the murder occurred and a few days later was seen by some neighbours in Harare, cleaning an item that had blood.

However, the State withdrew the charges against the two for lack of incriminating evidence.

As the charges were withdrawn after plea, the two can never be retried using any of the evidence led during their trial.

Source: High Court To Deliver Ruling On Tapiwa Makore’s Alleged Killers On 29 June

An important background document on the Tapiwa Makore ritual murder case is the following:

Tapiwa Makore was a 7-year-old boy from Makore Village under Chief Mangwende in Murewa District, Mashonaland East Province who was brutally murdered on 17 September 2020 in a suspected ritual killing. He was the son of Linda Munyori and Munyaradzi Makore

He was a Grade One learner at Nyamutumbu Primary School and his teacher was Keresia Makamure who described him as an intelligent, obedient child whose future was bright.[1]

Contents

Background

Tapiwa Makore Junior was sent by his parents to look after the garden on the morning of 17 September 2020.[2]

Later that day, Tapiwa’s parents went to the garden to do some watering and found that their son was missing.

His parents and some villagers started searching for him and the search was conducted until midnight but they could not find him.

On the following day, 18 September, in the morning, a neighbour reportedly woke up and discovered his dog and its puppies feasting on human body parts in his yard.

He then informed Tapiwa’s parents and a report was made to the police. The body’s head was missing.

Arrests

Herdboy, Tafadzwa Shamba

On 24 September 2020, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) arrested Tafadzwa Shamba (40), on kidnap and murder charges in connection with Tapiwa’s disappearance and murder.[3]

Shamba, a herdboy, was alleged to have connived with two other people to kill Tapiwa, harvest his body parts, and sold them for US$1 500. ZRP spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said:

It is alleged that Tafadzwa Shamba, a herd boy in the same village as the victim, worked with the other suspects to waylay the victim in a garden. They took him to a mountain where they kept him for the whole day. They then killed him at night and one of the other suspects, who is from Juru Growth Point, took away the head leaving the herd boy with the other body parts after promising to give him US$1 500 on coming back.

Police said they recovered the blood-stained clothes Shamba wore on the day he allegedly committed the crime.

Uncle, Tapiwa Makore

Tapiwa’s uncle and namesake, Tapiwa Makore was arrested by the police on 27 September 2020 in connection with the boy’s murder.[4]

Tapiwa Senior was alleged to have worked with Shamba and a witch doctor to murder Tapiwa Junior and harvest his body parts.

Moud Hunidzarira

Moud Hunidzarira of Budiriro, Harare, was arrested during the weekend of 31 October and 01 November 2020 following a tip-off by the public.[5]

It was alleged that Hunidzarira was in Murewa when the murder occurred and a few days later was seen by some neighbours in Harare, cleaning an item that had blood.

She initially appeared before a Murewa magistrate on 02 November 2022 and was remanded in custody.

Two Murewa Villagers

Two Murewa villagers only identified as Mai Mungandire and Mai Katsande were arrested after information gathered revealed they bought human flesh from Shamba.[6]

Another report identified the two women as Joina Tangirire, who sold beer at her homestead, and a relative, Enia Tangirire.

Beulah Makore, the family spokesperson was reported as saying the two women were picked up by the police on 01 November and they both admitted that they bought meat from the alleged killer but had no idea that it was human flesh.

The two women reportedly cooked the meat and ate and were taken to Murewa police station for further questioning and were also ordered to carry the pots that they used to cook the meat.

11-year-old Boy

An 11-year-old boy from Nyamutumbu Village was allegedly paid US$5 to lure Tapiwa from the garden to his uncle’s homestead.[7]

Tapiwa Makore (Snr) allegedly gave the boy $5 plus a T-shirt for his role and warned him against disclosing the matter to other villagers.

The boy is said to have handed over the money to his mother who kept the secret.

The mother is said to have used the money to buy chicken.

He was expected to testify as a witness in the murder trial.

Uncle, Thanks Makore

Thanks Makore (56) was arrested on 10 November 2020 in connection with the ritual murder of his nephew, Tapiwa, amid allegations that he was given the boy’s head and arms.[8]

Thanks was said to be a twin brother of Tapiwa Makore Snr, and a cousin of Munyaradzi Makore, Tapiwa Makore Jnr’s father.

Tafadzwa Shamba’s Confession

On 29 September 2020, Shamba reportedly told detectives he killed the boy by cutting off the head with a knife in the dead of the night, while the boy’s uncle, Tapiwa Senior was holding a torch.[9]

He said after the murder, he carried a black plastic bag containing the head and the dismembered body while his employer, Tapiwa Makore Senior, carried another bag containing the arms and legs.

Shamba also revealed that he kidnapped the boy, took him to his employer’s house, fed him and then drugged him with kachasu and locked him up in a room for hours.

He said around midnight, he carried the boy to a mountain in the village where they killed him.

Shamba said after killing the boy, they went down the mountain and along the way, he dumped the torso near Summer Murwira’s homestead.

He said they took the head to Makore’s homestead where they put it in one of the rooms.

The following day, Shamba said he dumped the arms and legs at a nearby grave.

Tafadzwa Shamba’s Retraction

During his court appearance, Shamba disowned the confession he had allegedly made to the police soon after his arrest.[10]

He claimed that he made indications under duress on how he killed Tapiwa, adding the police had crafted the narration to suit what they wanted.

But High Court Judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi on 10 October 2022 ruled it was clear that Shamba was not forced into giving his account of events. Ruled the judge:

He (Shamba) gave indications under the belief that the second accused wanted him to go to prison so that he could enjoy the benefits of the cabbage deals they intended to benefit from after killing the minor for rituals.

It is the court’s view that his story is preposterous, he wanted to show the court that his indications were rehearsed, but positive results came out from the confessions as it led to the recovery of the body parts. If it was rehearsed the police would not have recovered the body parts.

His explanation that he wanted to exonerate himself by incriminating the second accused does not make sense.

Thinking he was exonerating himself by confessing is stupidity in the highest order, the daftness he tried to show in court was not believable.

Tapiwa’s Burial

Tapiwa was buried on 27 March 2021, about six months after his gruesome murder. He was buried without his head after the police failed to locate it.[11]

His funeral was attended by scores of people who included politicians from ZANU PF, among them Mashonaland East Minister Apollonia Munzverengwi, Housing Minister Daniel Garwe, Chief Mangwende and Murewa senator and ZANU PF Politburo member, David Parirenyatwa.

His father, Munyaradzi, was the MDC Alliance branch chairperson in Murewa North.

Thanks Makore, Moud Hunidzarira Acquittal

On 13 October 2022, High Court judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi formally acquitted Moud Hunidzarira and Thanks Makore of the murder of Tapiwa Makore Jnr at the close of the prosecution case.[12]

The State withdrew the charges against the two for lack of incriminating evidence.

As the charges were withdrawn after plea, the two can never be retried using any of the evidence led during their trial.

However, the prime suspects, who allegedly did the actual killing, Tafadzwa Shamba and Tapiwa Makore Snr, were placed on their defence after the court found there was overwhelming evidence linking them with the murder.

Further Reading

  1.  , Kudzai Chingwe, Boy with United Methodist ties dies in ritual killing, Published 15 October 2020, Retrieved 28 November 2022
  2.  , Victor Maphosa, JUST IN: Boy (7) murdered, body parts missing, Published 21 September 2020, Retrieved 28 November 2022
  3.  , Herald Reporter, Herdboy arrested over Murehwa murder, Published 25 September 2020, Retrieved 28 November 2022
  4.  , Victor Maphosa, JUST IN: Murewa murder: deceased’s uncle picked, Published 28 September 2020, Retrieved 28 November 2022
  5.  , Crime Reporter, Murehwa murder: Woman in court, Published 03 November 2020, Retrieved 28 November 2022
  6.  , Robert Tapfumaneyi, Murewa Villagers Arrested After Buying, Eating Flesh Of Murdered Boy, Published 03 November 2020, Retrieved 28 November 2022
  7.  , Crime Reporter, Boy (11) implicated in Murehwa murder, Published 12 November 2020, Retrieved 28 November 2022
  8.  Another Makore brother arrested over boy’s murderCrime Reporter, Published: 13 November 2020, Retrieved: 13 December 2022
  9.  , Daniel Nemukuyu, Murehwa boy’s killer describes grisly murder, Published 30 September 2020, Retrieved 28 November 2022
  10.  Tapiwa Makore murder trial: Judge trashes prime suspects’ defenceStaff Reporter, Published: 11 October 2022, Retrieved: 13 December 2022
  11.  , Robert Tapfumaneyi, Tapiwa Makore’s Burial Unites Zanu PF, MDC Alliance Politicians, Published 28 March 2021, Retrieved 28 November 2022
  12.  Makore murder: 2 acquitted, 2 face judgmentFidelis Munyoro, Published: 14 October 2022, Retrieved: 13 December 2022
Administrative Divisions of Zimbabwe

Namibia: Kavango’s Winter Ritual Murders

There’s not much reporting on ritual murders in Namibia, yet this ugly phenomenon also exists in this southern African country. Petrus Muronga and Puyeipawa Nakashole are to be commended for their investigative journalism leading to this revealing article about a wave of ritual murders in the upper north-eastern part of the country, in Kavango East. A striking characteristic of the more than 20 ritual murders is that they’re all committed during the winter.

In some murder cases the police have arrested some suspects but the frightened villagers want more action of the government. In the absence of effective and satisfying government action jungle justice threatens. Enough is enough. Who are the culprits? Why is government so slow in responding to this wave of ritual murders?

Warning: the following article contains graphic description of ritual murders,. Readers may be upset reading the shocking details (webmaster FVDK).

Regions of Namibia. Kavango East is situated in the north-eastern part off the country.

Winter time – ritual killing time in Kavango, Namibia

… missing body parts include lips, skin, fingers, toes, eyeballs, internal organs and private parts

RITUAL KILLING … Riaan Mukuve’s mother, Regina Mashodhi Mukuve, says she believes her son was mur- dered for ritual pur-poses as his body was found frozen with missing body parts. About 21 people have gone missing in north- eastern Namibia. Photo: James Jamu

Published: June 11, 2023
By: Petrus Muronga and Puyeipawa Nakashole

n Namibia, as winter dawns, the north-eastern part of the country is about to be shaken by shocking news.

Again.

One more body is found mutilated, much to the horror and heartbreak of the people of the Rudhiva and Shadikongoro villages in the Mukwe constituency.

The villages are situated on the south-eastern banks of the Okavango River in Kavango East.

In this part of the country, people draw their breath beneath the dark clouds of what is believed to be ritual killings. And they all seem to take place in winter.

The unsolved deaths all have one thing in common: missing body parts like lips, skin, fingers, toes, eyeballs, internal organs and private parts.

SHATTERED DREAMS

In 2021, on a trip meant to accompany his friends to the memorial service of a loved one, young Riaan Mukuve (22) did not know this would be his last.

Mukuve was found dead at Rudhiva village with his body mutilated and floating in the Okavango River, north of Divundu, in the Mukwe constituency.

As horrific as it is, Mukuve’s story was nothing new to the villagers in the area.

Regina Mukuve says this image of her son is one she will never forget.

“His lips were cut off, he had no nose, no eyeballs, no organs, and his private parts were missing,” she says.

She describes her son as an ambitious individual who dreamed of completing his studies at the University of Namibia at Rundu and becoming a teacher, like her.

The young Mukuve was a second-year student at the Rundu campus and the family’s only son.

“Something of this kind has never happened before in my family, and nobody understands the pain I am going through. Therefore I want justice to be served for my son.

“His body was frozen, and I believe that he was refrigerated before they disposed of his body in the river,” Regina says.

According to her, eight people were believed to have been the last to be in contact with Mukuve.

They were fined N$20 000 each by the Hambukushu Traditional Authority for their alleged involvement in the young man’s disappearance and death.

However, the police say they are still investigating his case.

“Until today, I have not received anything from them, and they all claim not to have a hand in his disappearance. Until today there is no closure on my son’s death,” Regina says.

MOURNING … Felix Thikundeko’s father, Basilius Thikundeko, holding his son’s trousers. He says his son loved playing soccer and cultural dance.

21 MISSING IN SIX YEARS

A year later, also in June, at the same village, another mutilated body is discovered.

This time that of Felix Thikundenko (17).

Over the past six years, close to 21 people have disappeared at Mukwe.
Some are discovered after a few days, with their bodies dismembered.
Only a few cases have been reported on by the media due to the relationship the local police allegedly has with some media outlets, as well as the constraints of bureaucracy within the police.

Investigations into some of these cases take ages to complete, leading to the family members of the dead losing hope.

A FATHER’S AGONY

Thikundenko’s mutilated body was discovered in a swamp adjacent to the Okavango River near Rudhiva.

The Diyana Combined School pupil had everyone frantic with his mysterious disappearance.

His uncle, Basilius Mbamba, discovered his body in the same area where Mukuve’s body was discovered a year ago.

Mbamba, who was also part of the search team, said the search for Thikudenko started when he did not return home.

He was allegedly last seen at a bar opposite the family’s house.

The area where his body was found was searched a day before he was discovered.

“I miss him. Whenever I see other boys in the village playing soccer, I yearn to see him, but he is gone,” says Thikudenko’s father, Basilius Thikundenko.

He says his son loved sport.

“He used to play soccer, and he was good with our cultural dance group, he even used to do athletics. My son was really talented,” Basilius says.

He was robbed of his closest son, who always used to help him with house chores, he says.

The natural beauty of Kavango East…. but villagers on the south-eastern banks of the Okavango River in Kavango East mourn the loss of their slain dear ones and live in constant fear.

‘NO FREEDOM’

Residents of Rudhiva and Shadikongoro say they live in constant fear.
They claim to have lost their freedom, fearing one of them will become the next body to be found floating in the Okavango River, butchered.
So far, two people have been arrested and charged with Thikudenko’s death, and a third suspect was recently identified.

They are Steven Dengwe (22), Kandere Kavanga (36) and Thidjukwe Muduva (32).

Dengwe and Kavanga have been charged with murder and obstructing the course of justice for allegedly dumping Thikudenko’s body in the river.
They remained in custody after their first court appearance in the Mukwe Periodic Court in July last year, and their case was postponed to 5 October this year for further police investigations.

Muduva made his first court appearance on 5 October last year and was kept in police custody pending laboratory test results.

However, in the accused latest court appearance on 8 December 2022, they were granted bail of N$6 000 each.

WITHOUT A TRACE

Cecilia Kaveto (40) says her mother left their homestead on 30 June 2022 and never returned.

Alfonsine Kamwanga (76) went missing when she went to the river.

Kaveto, a resident of Korokoko village in the Ndonga Linena constituency, says her mother sometimes leaves the house to visit her brother or to collect mangetti fruit or thatched grass.

She says the day Kamwanga left the house was the last day she saw her.

“When we traced her footprints, it looks like she went until the field towards the road leading to the river, and up to the riverbank,” Kaveto says.

At first, she says they thought her mother had fallen into the stream, but they noticed she had proceeded towards the main river, where her prints disappeared.

“We alerted the police on the same day. They only came three days later with a boat and searched the area, but they did not find anything.

“We have been asking ourselves a lot of questions. If she had been killed or snatched by a crocodile, we would have found a piece of evidence. I still don’t know what happened to my mother,” Kaveto says.

SYNDICATE

Mukwe constituency councillor Damian Maghambayi says although there is no evidence that people are being murdered in ritual killings, people are losing lives in his constituency.

He says the issue has been ongoing, especially in the vicinity of Kapako, Rudhiva and Shadikongoro. Maghambayi says more than 21 people have gone missing in mysterious circumstances.

“It is now so serious that community members wanted to take the law into their own hands,” he says.

Maghambayi says there have been several demonstrations by community members petitioning the government on the killings.

Although there are about three police stations and substations in his constituency, the councillor suggests a robust police presence in the area and the need to open up a substation at Shadikongoro.

Affected families and community members are pointing fingers at the police in the area for not doing enough to bring the culprits to book.

Some claim that police officers in the area have been bribed and that they are part of a syndicate.

Thitjo Dinyando, a community activist in the area, believes the killings are spearheaded by business owners, especially shebeen owners, who recruit people to harvest organs to boost their business.

Dinyando also pointed fingers at police officers at Rundu and those working at Mukwe.

No significant investigations are carried out to bring the culprits to book, he says. The police in the region are not keen to talk about the issue.

They say they do not believe the killings are ritual-related.

“Ritual killings at Mukwe are not a joke, and I don’t want to comment on that, because I don’t want people to panic.

“ . . . unless one has to come to us with clear information to give us evidence to follow up and link it to ritual killings,” says Kavango East crime onvestigations coordinator deputy commissioner Bonifasius Kanyetu.

*This article was produced by The Namibian’s investigative unit. Email us news tips from your secure email: investigations@namibian.com.na

Source: Kavango’s Winter Murders