Category Archives: ‘muti’

Traditional healers condemn muthi murders and child abuse in South Africa

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‘That is not African tradition’: Traditional healers condemn muthi murders and child abuse in South Africa

Published: January 12, 2026
By: Jonisayi Maromo – IOL, South Africa

South Africa has for decades grappled with the scourge of child mutilation and abuse cases in which body parts, especially those of children, are used in brutal rituals purported to enhance wealth or bring good fortune.

In some instances, children are sexually abused as part of so-called rituals falsely believed to provide healing or prosperity for the perpetrator.

Traditional healers, commonly known as sangomas, are often implicated in these heinous acts. Some have been arrested by the South African Police Service (SAPS), while others have been attacked by community members when such incidents come to light.

In August last year, IOL reported that two additional suspects, including a sangoma, were arrested for the brutal murder of a 34-year-old Limpopo mother and her two-year-old daughter. The pair had been reported missing in May, triggering an extensive search.

During an intensive police operation at Hlabeni, under the Saselamani policing area, officers arrested the two suspects. One of them, a traditional healer from Muraga village under the Thohoyandou policing precinct, was allegedly found in possession of the severed heads of the victims.

“Further police investigations led the members to the residence of a 38-year-old traditional healer at Muraga village under the Thohoyandou precinct. The traditional healer was allegedly found in possession of the missing heads of the two victims and was also placed under arrest,” Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said at the time.

Police said a credible lead resulted in the discovery of the bodies of the mother and child, after which the suspects were immediately linked to the crime and arrested.

Screenshot – to play the video please click here

Against this backdrop, IOL this week travelled to Ekangala, and spoke to celebrity sangoma Mandla Lekhuleni, popularly known as Prof Lekhuleni, on the sidelines of a traditional celebration attended by healers from South Africa and Mozambique.

“Speaking the truth does not break any friendship or a spaza shop. Those people using body parts of children or albinos — that is a crime. There is no such thing,” Lekhuleni said. “Since I started practising, I was never taught that if you want money or your business to grow, you must kill someone or use human blood. That is 100% criminal.”

He rejected claims that human sacrifice forms part of African traditional healing.

“I hear people saying sangomas use human sacrifices to make people rich. That is not what I learnt or what my gobela taught me. I was taught to go to the mountains, to rivers, to dig and collect medicine from nature — herbs that help uplift a person who is down,” he said.

Traditional medicine and rituals are widely believed across South Africa and in Africa to help cure illnesses or improve people’s livelihoods. Lekhuleni, who has a large social media following, regularly shares content about traditional healing practices.

“In my indumba (traditional room where a sangoma practices), you will never find even a small human bone. Killing someone to make another person rich is not African traditional medicine. African traditional medicine uses herbs, sometimes combined with iziwasho ,” he said.

“That is pure criminality, and I am willing to assist the police. Wherever such so-called traditional healers are found, I will work with the police to ensure they are arrested and never practise again. They must never see the light of day.”

Lekhuleni said traditional healers across the Southern African Development Community were increasingly alarmed by the rise in so-called muthi murders and were working together to combat the practice.

From Maputo, Mozambique, prominent traditional healer Rei Magoxa said ritual killings had tarnished the work of genuine African traditionalists.

“As someone representing SADC, I want to make it clear that this is not our habit and not from us as traditional healers,” he said. “Traditional healers do not do this. Perhaps there are people with bad habits using our name, but we do not know where this comes from.”

“The law must take its course against such people, because this is not part of African traditional healing,” Magoxa added.

Academic and traditional health practitioner Sefadi Mohami echoed these sentiments, describing perpetrators of muthi murders as criminals masquerading as healers.

“That is not us, and it cannot be done under our name,” Mohami said. “As traditional healers, we are custodians of African traditions and amadlozi (ancestors). We represent those who walked before us, including kings and queens, and our work must be carried out with dignity.”

Mohami, who is affiliated with the SADC University of African Medicine, said the institution had taken a firm stance against ritual killings and child abuse.

“We are saying no to ritual killings. We are saying no to the abuse of children and to children being molested in the name of traditional healing. That is not us,” he said. “Unfortunately, it is happening under our name, but those responsible are thugs and have nothing to do with African traditional healing.”

Last year, IOL reported that a 50-year-old sangoma, Sebokoana Khounyana appeared before the Vanderbijlpark Magistrates’ Court in Gauteng facing charges of premeditated murder and human trafficking of two-year-old baby, Kutlwano Shalaba.

Gauteng spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Lumka Mahanjana, said a charge of premeditated murder was also added against the baby’s mother, Kuneuwe Portia Shalaba.

The 32-year-old mother was previously facing charges of human trafficking, conspiracy to commit robbery and making a false statement to the police.

“It is alleged that on 10 November 2024, the mother of the child (Kuneuwe) took the child to the sangoma (Khounyana) and requested him to kill her child because she was not happy with the gender of the baby and was tired of hiding it from her family. The child (Kutlwano) was a girl,” said Mahanjana.

“The mother then allegedly fed the baby poison, and after the baby died, it is alleged that the two took the child and buried her body in a shallow grave in Waterpan.”

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

IOL News  

Source: ‘That is not African tradition’: Traditional healers condemn muthi murders and child abuse in South Africa

Mystery of boy’s torso found in Thames after ‘voodoo ritual’ remains decades later

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The story of ‘Adam’, as the African child was named after his headless body was found floating in the river Thames in the UK.

It’s good that this horrific crime is getting attention again. Kudos to the journalism!

Already in 2019 I posted a detailed account of this outrageous ritualistic murder on this site, see my posts:
March 25, Part I: The unsolved case of the torso in the Thames (2001) March 2019 article March 27, Part II: The unsolved case of the torso in the Thames (2001) 2002-2003 articles March 28, Part II: The unsolved case of the torso in the Thames (2001) 2004-2005 articles

It’s impressive how the police uncovered everything, but it never led to a rial. The perpetrators went unpunished. A painful thought.
(webmaster FVDK)

The photo Joyce Osagiede claimed to be Adam (Image: PA)

Mystery of boy’s torso found in Thames after ‘voodoo ritual’ remains decades later

Published: September 7, 2025
By: Saskia Rowlands – The Mirror, UK

More than two decades since little Adam’s torso was discovered in the river Thames, police are no closer to finding the boy’s killer after he was slaughtered in a horrific “voodoo ritual”

The child’s torso was dressed in orange shorts (Image: PA)

The torso of a little boy from Africa was found in London’s river Thames over two decades ago – but his killer is still on the loose.

An investigation found the youngster, aged between four and seven, was smuggled into Britain and slaughtered as part of a horrific voodoo ritual. Tests proved he had been plied with a powerful potion of gold dust and quartz, drugged into paralysis with a type of African bean and had his throat slit.

But despite several arrests and forensic breakthroughs over the years, nobody has been brought to justice for the horrific crime. As the 24th anniversary of the horror approaches, we take a fresh look at the evidence and how the story unfolded.

Officers recovered the body upstream (Image: SWNS)

The discovery

On September 21 2001, IT consultant Aidan Minter was walking across London’s Tower Bridge when he caught sight of something floating in the water. It was just 10 days after the 9/11 attacks in the US and the city was still strangely quiet.

At first, Aidan thought it was a shop mannequin with a red cloth attached to it. But as the object passed under the bridge and out the other side, he realised he was in fact staring at a headless child.

It’s a memory Aidan lives with to this day. He said during an interview in 2020: “I do think about him – I’ll never forget it for as long as I live.” Police pulled the body from the water upstream, close to the Globe Theatre, later that day. They named him Adam.

Aidan Minter spotted the torso in the river (Image: BBC NEWS)

The first week

Early investigations suggested Adam’s body may have been in the water for as long as 10 days. Police conclude he died from having his throat slit. His arms, legs and head had all been expertly amputated. The body parts have never been found.

There were no signs of physical or sexual abuse, and he had been well fed. He was wearing nothing but a pair of orange shorts – something which later gave officers their first breakthrough. The label indicated they were made by firm Kids & Company and the size and colour could only be found in a small number of shops in Germany.

Detective sergeant Nick Chalmers was one of the police officers assigned to the case and says it was the strangest and most complex of his career. He added: “You definitely have a tie to a case, and there’s this drive to find answers. The one thing that has lingered is the frustration that we didn’t find all the answers.”

Retired detective Nick Chalmers worked on the investigation (Image: BBC NEWS)

African connection

Tests showed Adam had lived in Africa until shortly before his death. Because his body had been precisely butchered, experts decided it had been a ritualistic murder.

Some thought it was a rare so-called “muti” killing found in southern Africa – when a victim’s body parts are removed and used by witchdoctors. Others said it was more likely a human sacrifice linked to a twisted version of Yoruban belief systems from Nigeria.

Nelson Mandela later made an impassioned plea to the African public for help, saying: “The boy comes from somewhere in Africa, so if anywhere, even in the remotest village of our continent, there is a family missing a son of that age who might have disappeared around that time please contact the police.”

Nelson Mandela made an impassioned plea (Image: Mirrorpix)

Breakthrough

In July 2002, social workers in Glasgow became concerned for the safety of two girls living with their mum, an African woman named Joyce Osagiede. Council workers found bizarre, ritualistic objects in her home. And at a court hearing to take the children into care, Joyce told an alarming story of cults, killings and sacrifices.

Joyce Osagiede was considered a key witness (Image: BBC NEWS)

DS Nick Chalmers searched her home and found clothes with the same Kids & Company label and in the same sizes as Adam’s orange shorts. Joyce is arrested.

Officers were convinced Joyce was an important part of the story, but she was confused and kept changing her account. She denied knowing Adam, but was unable to explain the extraordinary coincidence about the shorts. Officers lacked enough evidence to charge Joyce. She remained in Glasgow awaiting an asylum decision.

The shorts were from a brand called Kids and Company (Image: SWNS)

September – November 2002

Forensic work narrowed down Adam’s birthplace to land near Benin City in Nigeria, which is Joyce’s home city. Pollen samples in his gut showed he had been living in the south-east of England for a few days or weeks before his death. Also in his stomach was an unusual substance made of African river clay – including vegetation, ground bone and traces of gold and quartz. The presence of ash showed the mixture had been burned before Adam ate it.

In November, Joyce was deported after the Home Office rejected her asylum application. She vanishes after landing in Lagos. Afterwards, German police say she lived in Hamburg until late 2001, which is the city where Adam’s shorts were purchased.

July – October 2003

A man named Kingsley Ojo is arrested as part of several human trafficking raids in London. Police discovered he was one of two contacts on Joyce’s phone. And during a search of his house, officers find an animal skull pierced with a nail, liquid potions, packets of sand and a videotape labelled ‘rituals’ which showed an adult being beheaded.

Kingsley Ojo was jailed with four charges of people smuggling and using fake documents (Image: PA)

Meanwhile, botanists at London’s Kew Gardens analysed samples of a plant found in Adam’s gut and discovered he was fed small amounts of Calabar bean, sometimes known as the Doomsday, and used in witchcraft ceremonies in West Africa. The dosage found would have paralysed Adam but not prevented any pain. Ground up seeds from the Datura plant, which acts as a sedative and causes hallucinations, were also found.

Traces of so-called Doomesday seeds were found in Adam’s stomach
(Image: Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

July – December 2004

Kingsley Ojo was jailed with four charges of people smuggling and using fake documents to obtain a passport and driving licence. He was said to have performed ‘juju’ ceremonies for other inmates behind bars.

An inquest into Adam’s death recorded a verdict of unlawful killing, hearing that he died from neck wounds suffered while he was still alive.

Adam was laid to rest in an unmarked grave( Image: BBC NEWS)

2005 – 2008

Kingsley Ojo offered to help the team investigating Adam’s death and claims he has secret recordings of Joyce. While awaiting deportation, he convinced officers he could help and spent two years feeding them information.

In December 2006, Adam’s body was laid to rest in an unmarked grave in a London cemetery. And two years later, Ojo is deported back to Nigeria after detectives decide they can’t rely on him.

In Nigeria, Joyce Osagiede finally admits she looked after Adam when she had lived in Hamburg in northern Germany and bought the orange shorts found on his body. A social worker assessing benefit claims later says she met Joyce on several occasions when she was in Hamburg and remembers seeing her with a small boy who she believes was Adam.

March 2011 – 2012

Joyce Osagiede claimed a photo found among her belongings in Germany was of Adam. She said his real name was Ikpomwosa and that she had looked after the boy, but gave him to a man called Bawa.

The following year, Joyce’s brother Victor said the boy in the photo was not Adam, claiming it was a misunderstanding. The BBC later met with Victor and Joyce who said the boy in the image was actually called Danny – who was later tracked down in Hamburg.

Joyce then suggests Adam was called Patrick Erhabor. She later identifies the man Bawa as trafficker Kingsley Ojo. Ojo continues to deny links to Adam’s killing and no evidence of his involvement is found.

The photo Joyce claimed to be Adam(Image: PA)

September 2021 – present

The Met Police launch a fresh appeal to find Adam’s killer to mark the 20 year anniversary of his body being found. The previous year, Joyce’s brother Victor revealed Joyce had died.

Aidan Minter, who spotted the body in the river, was diagnosed with acute post-traumatic stress disorder. He says he felt utterly helpless, knowing his discovery was somebody’s son.

For retired detective Nick Chalmers, the lack of answers is deeply frustrating. He said: “This was an innocent young child. There are people responsible for his death who haven’t been brought to justice. Twenty years on, I wish we knew the identity of Adam – and his parents. In reality, he is a missing child from a family, who probably don’t know he’s buried here in London.”

Source: Mystery of boy’s torso found in Thames after ‘voodoo ritual’ remains decades later

A wave of ritual killings: Eswatini, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe

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Warning: the following post contains graphic details which may upset readers.

Unbelievable. It is incredible. Within a week I receive reports of ritual killings in Eswatini, Nigeria (Enugu and Kwara states), South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe. I fear the reported cases are only the tip of the iceberg as many ritual murders – called muthi murders in Southern Africa, and money rituals in Nigeria and Ghana – go unnoticed. People simply disappear in many African states and they are never heard from again. ‘Dissolved in thin air.’

In Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), this year alone, more than a dozen children have reportedly fallen victim to suspected ritual killings.  

Nigeria holds the sad record of highest number of (reported and suspected) ritual murder cases in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Enugu state is under the spell of a sensational ritual murder case: The Double Life of Uche Kingsley Agumba: Church Devotee by Day, Murderous Ritualist by Night.

In Kwara state, Abdulrahman Bello confessed murdering a 24-year-old final year female student of the Kwara state College of Education, Ilorin, Hafsoh Lawal, for ritualistic purposes (‘money ritual’).

Readers interested in the link between money rituals and traditional African religions are advised to read the article Money rituals and our African traditional religions, by Abimbola Adelakun.

In South Africa, a 14-year Roodespoort teenager, Lokhona Fose, was discovered dead, mutilated, in a suspected case of ritual murder.

In Uganda, a former education officer was arrested in a suspected ritual sacrifice case, police exhumed the victim’s body, which was buried in a shallow grave at the home of former Jinja City Education Officer Amina Mutesi.

In Zimbabwe, a baby boy was found dead, murdered. The body of the eight weeks old victim was found with parts missing: his nose and right cheek were ripped off. Police are investigating the murder as a suspected ritual killing.

To be continued.
(webmaster FVDK)

South Africa: superstition in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province – ‘vampire’ who attacks old lady killed by angry mob

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Warning: the following story and accompanying photo may upset people because of their graphic nature (FVDK).

I post the following article ‘as it is‘: I have virtually no comments – neither do I confirm the truthfulness of the incident reported nor do I present or suggest my belief in the superstition which forms the base and background of the alleged act, bizarre as it is.

Interesting though (and justifying its inclusion on this site) is the reference to a 2015 study of ritual murders in Vhembe, South Africa. Vhembe is situated in the Northern part of Limpopo Province, sharing borders with Zimbabwe in the north, Mozambique through Kruger National Park in the east and Botswana in the north west. Limpopo Province is notoriously known for its ritualistic murders and superstition.

Map of Limpopo Province with municipalities and districts. Source: Map of municipalities in Limpopo –

Reportedly, Dr Alunamutwe Enos Randitsheni wrote a thesis on ritual murders – ‘muti’ murders – while doing his PhD at the University of Venda, and actually said that evil people who believed in such weird practices, such as sucking out someone’s blood, did in fact exist. (italics added by the webmaster FVDK).

“They don’t only exist in Vhembe, but they exist all over the world, and most of them perform these rituals for various reasons but mostly for personal gains,” Dr Dr Alunamutwe Enos Randitsheni alleged, adding that the Tshivenda name for such people was madzhavhathu (cannibals). According to Dr Alunamutwe Enos Randitsheni, most victims are women, children, and people living with albinism.
(FVDK)

‘Vampire’ who attacks old lady killed by angry mob

Published: June 7, 2024
By: Zoutnet, South Africa

A wave of fear and panic has gripped Vhembe District as reports of alleged vampire attacks have surfaced, leading to tragic and violent responses from local communities. In a recent shocking incident, a man accused of being a vampire was beaten to death and burnt by residents of Shikunduville in the Saselamani area.

The tragedy unfolded on Sunday, 26 May, when a man, after reportedly biting an elderly woman on the mouth in Shikunduville, was accused of being a vampire. The woman’s screams for help drew the attention of other members of the community, who rushed to her aid. In their attempt to rescue the victim, the crowd turned their fury on the alleged attacker.

Despite their assault, the man continued his attack, displaying unusual resistance to the beating. The escalating violence culminated in the community’s beating him to death and subsequently burning his body. The traumatic event has left the residents of Shikunduville deeply unsettled and fearful.

The chairperson of the SANCO branch in Saselamani B, Mr Solomon Mathonsi, said the community was still living in fear. “I was at church that Sunday, so I did not see the incident as it unfolded. I was told that the deceased, who worked at a local farm, was going to send money to his family in Mozambique when he started fighting with one of his relatives. He ran away and tried to get inside a neighbour’s house, and a dog attacked him, which forced him to run to another neighbour. He allegedly threatened her that he would bite her and rape her. He attacked her severely, injuring her face, and she looks scary now. Her mouth looks like it is about to be removed, and she appears as if she was attacked by a vicious animal. When the mob was fighting against him, he was roaring like an animal. He looked like he was possessed by evil spirits. We are now left in fear, both young and old,” he said.

According to the police spokesperson in Vhembe, W/O Vuledzani Dathi, the police in Saselamani opened a murder docket after a 29-year-old man was allegedly killed by the community in Shikunduville. He confirmed that the man had been accused of attacking an elderly woman on Sunday, 26 May.

“The police went to house no. 401 in Shikunduville and found the owner, Mr Sam Maceke. The deceased was lying on the ground, wearing black shorts and a black T-shirt. He had injuries on the face and legs. He was tied up with a rope. Mr Maceke told the police that his mother, old lady Nwajaki Priscinah Chauke, was bitten on the mouth by an unknown male person.”

Dathi said the community members had assaulted the male person and tied him up with a rope. “He died at the scene of the crime. He was later identified as Surprise Maluleke of Maineville, a Mozambican with no passport or legal documents. He is said to have been born around 1995. He was taken to Tshilidzini Hospital’s Forensic Pathology department. No arrests have been made so far, and anyone who can assist the police in apprehending the culprits may contact the investigating officer, Sgt Gunguva, on 082 664 6843,” Dathi said.

A 30-second video of old lady Nwajaki Priscinah Chauke narrating how she was attacked started circulating on social media on Wednesday, 29 May. In the footage, Chauke, who can be seen sitting down, wearing a yellow ANC T-shirt and drinking water, said, “He did this to me because he was roaming around my yard. When I asked him what he was looking for, he quickly turned, pushed me, and got inside my house,” she said, speaking in Xitsonga.

The injured lady is currently recovering from her wounds at home.

The incident incited a lot of fear among community members in Vhembe, with many wondering whether creatures such as vampires really exist in Vhembe.

Dr Alunamutwe Enos Randitsheni, who based his thesis on ritual murders in Vhembe while he was doing his PhD at the University of Venda in 2015, said that, during his investigation, he had found that evil people who believed in such weird practices, such as sucking out someone’s blood, did in fact exist.

“They don’t only exist in Vhembe, but they exist all over the world, and most of them perform these rituals for various reasons but mostly for personal gains,” he said. He said the Tshivenda name for such people was madzhavhathu (cannibals).

He added that most of their victims were women, children, and people living with albinism.

The old lady, Nwajaki Priscinah Chauke, who was attacked by an alleged vampire at Shikunduville. 
Photo: Video screen shot.

Source: ‘Vampire’ who attacks old lady killed by angry mob

South African man abducted, hands amputated in suspected muti attack

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Unfortunately, ‘muti’ murders and violence related to ‘muti’ – literally: traditional medicine, but in practice closely associated with witchcraft – are no exception in Southern Africa notably in the Republic of South Africa. Numerous cases have been reported on this site (for specific cases: please use the scroll down menu ‘African countries’ to access ‘South Africa’).

The accompanying article presented below also confirms this sad and often cruel realty which is widespread in South Africa and neighboring countries. Reportedly, an academic investigation revealed that in South Africa alone, in 2001 almost 2500 individuals were caught with body parts in their possession, a frightening statistic. Moreover, discovered bodies with parts missing are no exception whereas it is very likely that some bodies are never found and thus, reported cases of ‘muti’ violence and murder constitute in fact the tip of the iceberg.
(FVDK)

South African Man Abducted, Hands Amputated in Suspected Muti Attack

Published: March 24, 2024
By: Atlas News

What You Need to Know:

A 30-year-old walking during the early hours of the morning in Vosman, near Witbank, was attacked by six unidentified assailants on March 20th. The man had his hands and feet bound, and was told by his attackers that they planned to kill him. Instead, the attackers took the victim into a bush, amputated both of the victims hands, and took off with his body parts, leaving him to die. 

Security services arrived at the scene and the man is currently recovering in hospital. Police have opened a case of attempted murder, but have yet made no breakthroughs in locating the attackers. 

Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, Provincial Police Commissioner in Mpumalanga stated, “though the victim was not killed however the acts committed by the suspects are heartless and should be strongly condemned in the strongest possible way.” 

The Details:

Muti, also known as umuthi in Zulu, is an alternative word for medicine in some localities but colloquially refers to witchcraft. Muti is characterized by the use of body parts in rituals to bring protection or strength to an individual or tribe. Oftentimes, victims are healthy young males, or the strongest warrior from a rival tribe. 

‘Muti murders’ involve the ritual killing of an individual for the use of the victims body parts in creating ‘magical medicine.’ As stated by Harriet Ngubane, a South African Anthropologist, “in a definable part of southern African medical practice … ethics permit a practitioner to recommend in certain special cases a ritual killing.”

“Ritual homicide [carries] very high professional fees … The inyanga [expert] who prescribes a muti homicide … arrives at his advice … within the … worldview of African traditional medicine.” 

However, with ritual killing now illegal in South Africa, attacks on individuals which stop short of murder but involve the amputation of limbs has increased. 

An academic investigation into ‘Violent Hand Amputation and Replantation in South Africa’ conducted by Wendy Young, Pragashnie Govender, and Deshini Naidoo, claims that in 2001, almost 2500 individuals were caught with body parts in their possession. This highlights just how ingrained the practice of ritual killing is in the nation. 

Analysis:

It is highly likely the man attacked in this case was a victim of a crime with connections to the practice of muti. 

The practice of muti is particularly prevalent in Mpumalanga, with three doctors and a nurse suspended from Bernice Samuel Hospital in 2021 after an infant admitted with diarrhea had her hand amputated. A case of negligence was opened against the nurse and three doctors, and officially a possible muti motive was not investigated, but it is also highly likely the amputation was done so the hand could be used for ritualistic magic. 

Source: South African Man Abducted, Hands Amputated in Suspected Muti Attack

Zimbabwe: staggering numbers of ritual murders

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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

Zimbabwe: ritual killings rise

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Shocking news from Zimbabwe, as reported by a national news site: ritual murders in the country are on the rise – allegedly.

Whereas the occurrence of ritualistic murders, locally often referred to as ‘muti murders’, is not in doubt – as demonstrated by the numerous cases reported on the present site, you may consult the dropdown menu ‘African countries’ to access all posts on Zimbabwe – it is nevertheless shocking to hear that there is an apparent recent surge in the number of these cruel crimes. As you may know, the organs or body parts ‘needed’ for ‘muti‘ have to be harvested from a living person.

One would think that the Tapiwa Makore murder case and the sentencing to death of his convicted murderers, his uncle and an accomplice, would deter potential perpetrators of muti related murders. According to recent newspaper reports, this is not the case.

A psychotherapist consulted (see the article below) points to mental illness as a significant factor behind these gruesome murders. I’ve often asked myself the same question: What makes someone a ritualistic murderer? Certainly, more research needs to be done as to why people ‘cross a border’ and decide to kill another human being – in a cruel way – as a means to ‘get rich quick’, to have success in business or to gain a certain (often political) position. Is it superstition? Is it a criminal mind? Selfishness? Greed? Or are ritualistic murderers mentally disturbed persons who should be treated for their ‘illness’ in stead of punished – death by hanging or a long prison sentence?

Asking the question means answering it.

Who knows the answer?
(webmaster FVDK)

Zimbabwe: Ritual Killings Rise

Is the capital punishment a deterrent for potential ritualistic killers?

Published: February 3, 2024
By: ZimEye, Zimbabwe

A disturbing trend is sweeping across the nation, as reports of suspected ritual murders are on the rise, leaving communities in shock and children as primary targets of these heinous acts.

The superstitious belief that killing individuals in a specific manner, particularly involving torture and processing certain body parts, can create and maintain wealth is contributing to an alarming increase in brutal killings, leaving many with unanswered questions.

The resurgence of ritual killings has prompted concerns and calls for action from various quarters.

Traditional healer Sekuru Banda, dismissing the superstitions, condemns those who propagate such beliefs, emphasizing the need for hard work instead of seeking easy money through horrific means. Banda urges a change in mindsets, highlighting the dangers of people being led astray in pursuit of illusory wealth.

To gain further insights, a news crew sought the perspective of psychotherapist Dr. Mertha Nyamande, who points to mental illness as a significant factor behind gruesome murders.

Dr. Nyamande explains that many offenders, especially those involved in removing body parts, may suffer from mental ailments or psychopathy, challenging the notion that these acts are rooted in ritualistic beliefs. From a legal standpoint, Mr. Moffat Makuvatsine sheds light on how the law addresses ritual killings.

While there is no specific provision for such crimes, they can be treated as murder committed under aggravating circumstances, potentially carrying the death penalty or life imprisonment.

The legal expert emphasizes that any murder proved to have ulterior motives may result in severe penalties. Recent cases, including the tragic death of Tapiwa Makore, have brought the issue of ritual killings to the forefront.

Tapiwa’s killers, his uncle Tapiwa Senior and Tafadzwa Shamba, were sentenced to death for their involvement in the gruesome crime.

However, the scourge continues, with a recent incident in Guruve involving the brutal murder of a three-year-old, whose body was decapitated and burnt, with missing body parts.

The perpetrators of this heinous act remain at large, underscoring the urgency for a concerted effort from law enforcement and communities to address and eradicate the deeply troubling surge in ritual killings.

As the nation grapples with this distressing epidemic, there is a pressing need for comprehensive strategies that include education, mental health awareness, and stringent legal measures to curb the prevalence of such horrific crimes.

Source: Ritual Killings Rise

Swaziland / Eswatini: Soldiers torture man accused of ritual murder

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Msombuluko Mantimakhulu and two teenagers who are allegedly his cousins were arrested by police and soldiers and accused of involvement in the disappearance of Mantimakhulu’s sster-in-law. Relatives accused Mantimakhulu of ritually murdering his sister-in-law, using her body parts for ‘muti’ purposes. It’s election time in Swaziland, hence people fear ‘muti murders’ by ambitious politicians who sometimes hire other people to do the dirty work.

After all, recently, “(…) his Majesty the King (…) warned against ritual killings. He said now that it was elections time, there were people who believed that if they used human body parts, they would be successful. The King warned that such should stop and gave an example that it appeared the people who performed rituals sometimes targeted people with albinism people. He said the ritual killers believed that a person who had albinism would bring luck. His Majesty then said this was not true and that such should not be practiced.”

Msombuluko Mantimakhulu and the two teenagers were heavily beaten and tortured. The soldiers tried to extract a confession. It all happened last month. It’s a frightening story about the abuse of power by law enforcement officiers. It turned out later, that Mantimakhulu’s sister-in-law was alive and had gone to stay with her relatives. 

It is not known what happened to those who were responsible for torturing Msombuluko Mantimakhulu and the two teenagers. The rule of law in the kingdom of King Mswati III leaves a lot to be desired….
(FVDK)

Swaziland / Eswatini: Soldiers torture man accused of ritual murder

Published: August 5, 2023
By: Joseph Zulu – Times of Swaziland

MAFUCULA – When his sister-in-law vanished, Msombuluko Mantimakhulu had no idea that her disappearance would leave him with injuries all over his body.

Mantimakhulu, who works in South Africa (SA), had returned to his home area around Mafucula, but it is alleged that his sister-in-law then disappeared. It was gathered that her in-laws did not know where she had gone, but feared that she had been murdered. He said some of the relatives were of the view that because it was general elections time, maybe she had been kidnapped and then killed for ritual purposes.  They allegedly accused him of  killing  his sister-in-law for body parts. Mantimakhulu said some of the family members were of the view that he was involved in her disappearance. He said he did not have a reason to kill his sister-in-law, because they were close and that he sometimes  even gave her some money.

Trouble

According to Mantimakhulu, trouble started when the matter was first reported to the local community police that a woman was missing. He said when the community police were called, they picked up two teenagers who are said to be Mantimakhulu’s cousins. Mantimakhulu alleged the community police members assaulted the two teenagers, so as to force a confession from them. He alleged they beat the children then also handcuffed them to keep them from running away. “It is not right to handcuff children,” he said. The children are alleged to have been tortured for over an hour, demanding that they reveal who killed the woman. 

When Mantimakhulu was asked why the teenagers were accused of killing the woman, he said he did not understand why but that he was the target. He said they wanted to force the children to confess that he was the one who had killed his sister-in-law. He said as if the assault was not enough, the men allegedly took the children to a nearby pond where they were assaulted. Mantimakhulu said the community police members then allegedly dipped the children’s into the pond and threatened that they would drown them. 

Threatened

Mantimakhulu alleged that the children’s heads were held under the water and threatened that they would be drowned if they did not reveal who killed the woman who was missing. He purported that after realising that they were not getting any answers from the children being assaulted, the police from Tshaneni Police Post were called in. He said police officers also arrived to investigate the disappearance of his sister-in-law, whom at the time, it was alleged she had been murdered. 

He alleged that after he was suspected of having killed his sister- in-law, the matter was then reported to the police. Mantimakhulu said police officers from Tshaneni were called, and that they went to interview him over the allegedly missing woman. However, unlike the community police members, the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) officers are said to have refused to arrest Mantimakhulu and then left, leaving him at the homestead in Mafucula, around a place known as Duma.

Arresting

Mantimakhulu then said after some of the family members noticed that the police officers had left without arresting him, they then decided to call some soldiers who are said to be based around Maphiveni near Simunye. It is alleged that about four soldiers then pounced on Mantimakhulu on July 27, 2023, at around noon. Mantimakhulu said when the soldiers arrived, he told them that the police officers had already spoken to him and that they left him behind because they did not believe that he had murdered his sister-in-law. 

However, the soldiers are said to have responded that they were not like police officers. He said the soldiers told him that police officers do not want to work. Mantimakhulu said before they began assaulting him, they told him that by the time they left, they would make sure that he revealed how he allegedly killed his sister-in-law. “I told them I am not a killer, but they did not want to hear my side of the story,” said Mantimakhulu. Mantimakhulu said the soldiers then began to assault him and that they hit him all over his body. He alleged that he was kicked, and then forced to confess that he had killed his sister-in-law. “I refused to agree to something I did not do,”  he said. He mentioned that he was punched, kicked with boots and blunt objects, but he could not tell what they were using to assault him. 

He said he was then taken to a nearby lake, where he was allegedly submerged into the water so that he did not come up, out of the water. “I felt like I was drowning,” he said. He said one soldier who pressed against his body with foot while another would press against his head while being held under the water. Mantimakhulu said the soldiers continued assaulting him for several hours. He said no matter how many times he cried for them to stop, they continued assaulting him until they stopped when they realised that he had not killed anyone. 

Assault

He also revealed that before they began to assault him, they warned some of the nearby residents against taking videos of the alleged assault. antimakhulu said they used vulgar language, as they assaulted him, demanding that he should reveal what he did to his sister-in-law. It turned out later, that the woman was alive and had gone to stay with her relatives. Mantimakhulu said his sister-in-law had left without telling anyone because there were some disputes at their home. He was also asked why some of the family members suspected that he had killed her. He said he did not know the reason but that it could be that they found some fencing material belonging to her in his house. He said maybe with this information, they could have concluded that he had killed her and taken some of her fencing material. 

“I have no reason to kill the woman,” he said. Sipho Mngomezulu, an uncle to Mantimakhulu said he was shocked at the manner in which his nephew was treated. He alleged the soldiers beat him as if they were killing him. Mngomezulu also alleged that the matter was reported to the police but that they had not taken any action to arrest the soldiers. Meanwhile, Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, speaking through Inspector Mazwi Ndzimandze said the assault had not been reported to the police at Tshaneni. Also, Ndzimandze said there was also no case of a woman reported to have gone missing, but was later found alive.  

Mantimakhulu, when told that the police said they were not aware of his assault, said this was not true. He said instead they allegedly told him they would not be able to arrest the soldiers. Mantimakhulu said the police told him that soldiers always protected each other and they would not handover their colleagues to be arrested by the police.  Lieutenant Tengetile Khumalo, the Public Relations Officer for the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) was called regarding the alleged assault by the soldiers who are based at the Maphiveni unction, leading to Tshanenini, Simunye or Lomahahsa. She had not responded to the questions sent to her at the time of compiling the report. 

Khumalo was also asked if there was any means members of the public in such circumstances could report if they were not treated fairly. 
Noteworthy, Mantimakhulu insisted that both matters had been reported to the police and that officers from Tshaneni Police Station even interviewed him about his sister-in-law when it had been alleged that she was nowhere to be found, that she may have been killed. 

Meanwhile, his Majesty the King, in his speech during the Correctional Day and Pass-out Parade warned against ritual killings. He said now that it was elections time, there were people who believed that if they used human body parts, they would be successful. The King warned that such should stop and gave an example that it appeared the people who performed rituals sometimes targeted people with albinism people. He said the ritual killers believed that a person who had albinism would bring luck. His Majesty then said this was not true and that such should not be practiced.

Source: Soldiers torture, beat man accused of killing sister-in-law

Introducing eSwatini / Swaziland – click here

Cameroonian woman kills sister-in-law, chops body for ritual

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It is relatively rare that ritual murder cases are being reported from Cameroon though this does not mean that these atrocious practices do not occur in this Central African country. I’ve explained on previous occasions that my continuous search for ‘muti’ murders, ‘money rituals’, ritual killings and other superstitious practices suffers from a bias. As a result, more cases from anglophone countries than from francophone and lusophone countries are being brought to my attention.

Though both French and English are official languages in Cameroon, eight out of its ten regions are primarily francophone. Hence, francophone media dominate the news which may explain the underreporting of Cameroonian ritual murder cases on this site. (webmaster FVDK)

Cameroonian woman kills sister-in-law, chops body for ritual (Videos, Photos)

Warning: article contains graphic details (webmaster FVDK):

Cameroonian woman kills sister-in-law, chops body for ritual (Videos, Photos)
Published: August 23, 2022
By: TSJ Reporter – The StreetJournal, Nigeria

More articles on the same murder case:

Woman Kills Sister-In-Law, Chops Body For Suspected Money Ritual

Published: August 23, 2022
By: Rachel Okporu – Naija News, Nigeria

Marie France Mbea, a 57-year-old Cameroonian woman, has been arrested for allegedly killing her sister-in-law for suspected money ritual.

Naija News gathered that the culprit killed the woman and chopped her body in a hotel in Yaoundé’s Biyem Assi area.

Marie was intercepted on Monday, August 22, 2022, while leaving the hotel with the body parts stuffed in a suitcase.

According to Local Media, the suspect claimed she had a phone conversation with an unidentified man who directed her to murder her sister-in-law in exchange for money.

She checked into the hotel with the victim where she used a beer bottle to hit her on the head and slit her throat.

Marie fled the hotel on Sunday night after killing her sister-in-law, only to return on Monday carrying a machete and a travelling bag.

When the hotel administration saw that she was carrying something too heavy for her and refused offers of assistance, they became suspicious and called the police.

The suspect, during interrogation at Yaounde police headquarters, admitted that the body parts were intended to be transferred to a man in exchange for money.

Source: Woman Kills Sister-In-Law, Chops Body For Alleged Money Ritual

Bulawayo residents live in fear of ritual murders (Zimbabwe) 

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There is no doubt. Ritual murders are rampant in Zimbabwe. Significantly, still in May last year President Mnangagwa appealed to the general public, to traditional healers and to witch doctors to stop killing people for ritualistic purposes. See my posting Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa: ‘Stop ritual killings!’

I’ve posted earlier reports on ritualistic activities and murders in Zimbabwe including Matabeleland. The article below focuses on Bulawayo, the country’s second largest city and the largest city in Matabeleland. Its population is estimated at about 1 million.

One may think that traditional beliefs including the superstitious belief in the supra-natural powers of ‘muti’ persist mainly in the rural areas. The article below indicates that migrants from rural regions who settle in urban centers bring with them their cultural values and religious beliefs including, unfortunately, traditional repulsive activities which violate the law.
(webmaster FVDK)

Bulawayo Residents Live In Fear Of Ritual Murders

Published: June 30, 2022
By: Zimeye – Zimbabwe

Panic has gripped Bulawayo residents following a spike in suspected ritual murders in the city.

A number of mutilated bodies have been discovered in the city over the past few months, while some residents have been reportedly kidnapped and their blood drained by unknown culprits still at large.

Over the weekend, a yet to be identified woman was found dead with missing body parts at the 21km peg along the Bulawayo-Plumtree road.

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association chairperson, Ambrose Sibindi told Southern Eye that there were several reports of such incidents happening in Bulawayo and other parts of Matabeleland.

He appealed to law enforcement agencies to devise ways to curb such cases.

“Inexplicable stories are now common, lawlessness has become the norm. People are now behaving like animals,” Sibindi said.

“I would like to urge residents to shun boarding private cars. If possible the law enforcement teams in plain clothes must be on alert at transport pick up points to effectively deal with these shady activities.”

Bulawayo United Residents Association chairperson, Winos Dube said: “We are disheartened and disappointed as residents to learn that these activities are taking place among our people. Ritualism is becoming a menace and people have to be very vigilant. They shouldn’t board unknown vehicles belonging to people they do not know.”

Dube advised the commuting public to use public transport to avoid such dangers.

Recently, the owner of a shop at Kelvin was kidnapped after boarding a Honda Fit vehicle with unidentified women. They took the victim to a secluded bushy area where she was injected with an unknown substance which made her unconscious.

The suspects, who are still at large, allegedly drained blood from her body for suspected ritual purposes. They then dumped her some 15km from Kensington.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said all the incidents would be investigated.

“I cannot say it’s ritualism; we are conducting an investigation to find out what really transpired so that the truth comes out,” Nyathi said.

Source: Byo Residents Live In Fear Of Ritual Murders