Warning: This post contains graphic views and contents which may upset readers and viewers.
By chance, I recently stumbled upon the impressive BBC film about money rituals in Africa, which was published late last year. The film is bewildering, terrifying and at the same time admirable. Based on an undercover operation in Sierra Leone, investigative journalist Tyson Conteh explains in the 50-minute film how a ‘money ritual’ works.
The film addresses all facets of murder for ritual purposes: naturally, first and foremost, the superstition regarding the supernatural powers derived from ‘juju’ obtained from human organs, body parts, or whatever else. Furthermore, the unscrupulous, criminal nature of the mastermind, the intermediary, the actual murderer, and the role of the witch doctor or traditional healer is clearly revealed. They are willing to sacrifice the life of an innocent victim for their own ambition or greed.
Tyson Conteh also addresses the impunity with which those responsible for these crimes unfortunately often get away, partly explained by the active involvement in some cases of politicians, traditional authorities, and/or other public figures. A complicating factor is that some well-intentioned African law enforcement officers—policemen—also believe in the power of the ‘juju’ that surrounds these crimes and are cautious or even reluctant in investigating and combating these gruesome acts. The practice of ritual killings hits very close to home for Tyson Conteh, who, along with his team, deserves nothing but praise for this insightful film, when he learns that a close family member has fallen victim to ritual killing. The pain and grief of the victim’s parents and other relatives are deeply relatable and moving.
Finally, it is important to mention that the intermediaries and witch doctors filmed by the investigation team were possibly fraudsters who verbally declared themselves willing to carry out a ritual murder on demand for a substantial sum, with the aim of swindling the client out of their money. Needless to say, the undercover journalist did not let it get that far.
I highly recommend viewing this film. To access the film, please click here (webmaster FVDK)
Warning: the article presented here contains graphic details which may upset readers.
On March 17, I posted Tanzania court upholds death sentence in rural murder. A Babati man who had been found guilty of murdering his stepson for ritualistic purposes heard the final verdict for his crime: the capital punishment.
A few days later, Joseph Muhuila, an Iringa man, was given the same sentence by the High Court of Tanzania: death by hanging, for killing his four-year-old son, Timothy Muhulila, allegedly for ritualistic practices. The cruel crime occurred on April 12, 2025.
Iringa Region is one of Tanzania‘s 31 administrative regions, located in the middle of this East African country, in size comparable to e.g. Guinea-Bissau in West Africa. In 2022 the region had a population of about 1.2 million people.
So, within a short space of time, the law in Tanzania dealt decisively with ritual murderers who have been found guilty. On the one hand, this shows beyond any doubt that ritual murder does indeed occur in this country of over 70 million inhabitants, spread across more than 120 different ethnic groups. (There was, incidentally, no doubt about this, as Tanzania is often in the news for the wrong reasons due to the abduction, mutilation and ritual murder of people with albinism. Also see my 2019 post on the precarious position, discrimination, kidnapping and murder of people with albinism in Tanzania.) On the other hand, it is also a hopeful sign that the country’s highest authorities are serious about prosecuting the perpetrators of these violent crimes, which are based on superstition, greed and contempt for the right to life of innocent people, sometimes small children or other vulnerable individuals. (webmaster FVDK)
Iringa man sentenced to death for killing four-year-old son in ritual killing case
Published: March 18, 2026 By: Friday Simbaya – The Citizen
Warning: this post contains graphic details which may upset some readers.
The following article, about the trial of a ritual murderer in Tanzania, was published in a Kenyan online newspaper. The author articulates very well what this is all about: the clash between modernity and archaic, harmful superstition. Reading of the article is highly recommended.
With respect to the death sentence in Tanzania: whereas the capital punishment is in accordance with the law in Tanzania, de facto there exists a moratorium on the actual execution. Those sentenced usually remain in prison for the rest of their lives.
The importance of imposing the death penalty lies primarily in its symbolic value and the deterrent it may provide, although I have serious doubts about the latter. (webmaster FVDK)
Shadows of Superstition: Court Upholds Death Sentence in Ritual Murder
A Tanzanian court has upheld the death sentence for a Babati man who murdered his stepson on the promise of wealth, highlighting a grave social crisis.
Published: March 16, 2026 By: Streamlinefeed – Kenya
The heavy doors of the Court of Appeal in Tanzania swung shut, effectively sealing the fate of Emmanuel Safari, a man whose actions in a quiet Manyara village shattered the sanctity of familial protection. In a chilling judgment delivered by Justices Winfrida Korosso, Lilian Mashaka, and Paul Ngwembe, the judiciary affirmed a death sentence for the murder of an innocent child, a crime rooted not in sudden passion, but in the dark, persistent belief in occult practices intended to manifest wealth.
This judicial affirmation serves as a grim marker of the persistent collision between modern legal standards and archaic, harmful superstitions that continue to plague rural communities in East Africa. For a one-and-a-half-year-old child in Babati District, the betrayal was absolute entrusted to his stepfather, he instead became the focal point of a lethal, misguided ritual. As the court documents detail, the child’s life was extinguished in a manner that defies comprehension, leaving behind a community grappling with the dual scars of grief and the unsettling reality that such practices remain a motivation for violence in the modern age.
The Anatomy of a Heinous Betrayal
The tragedy unfolded on March 21, 2021, at Maganjwa Village in Babati District. Emmanuel Safari, who had entered into a household with a mother and her two children, occupied a position of trust—a role that the prosecution proved he abused with devastating brutality. While the defense attempted to navigate the complexities of circumstantial evidence, the Court of Appeal found the narrative of innocence unsustainable.
Court records depict a harrowing timeline of the events leading to the child’s death. Safari, having been instructed by a local practitioner of witchcraft that ritual sacrifice would bring him prosperity, turned his attention to his stepson. The physical evidence presented at the High Court of Tanzania at Manyara and subsequently reviewed by the appellate judges was damning. Upon being rushed to Dareda Mission Hospital, the child exhibited severe internal trauma, including the penetration of the rectal intestine, accompanied by extensive swelling and bruising in the pelvic region. Safari, despite having been the sole caregiver in the hours preceding the discovery of the injuries, claimed ignorance of the cause—a defense that collapsed under the weight of medical and circumstantial scrutiny.
The Evidence Behind the Verdict
The legal process relied on the strength of circumstantial proof, a common necessity in cases where the victim is unable to speak and witnesses are scarce. The prosecution, led by Senior State Attorney Saada Mohamed, successfully argued that the chain of events left no logical room for an alternative perpetrator.
Incident Date: March 21, 2021
Location: Maganjwa Village, Babati District, Manyara Region
Victim Age: One-and-a-half years old
Legal Outcome: Death sentence for murder and unnatural sexual offence upheld by the Court of Appeal
Primary Evidence: Medical examination from Dareda Mission Hospital confirming physical trauma consistent with violent assault
The appellate justices underscored the necessity of the verdict by noting that the deceased was under Safari’s exclusive care during the timeframe in which the fatal injuries were inflicted. The lack of explanation for the child’s condition, juxtaposed with the timeline of events, led the court to conclude that the appellant was solely responsible. This ruling reinforces a zero-tolerance approach toward such crimes, signaling that no claim of superstition can mitigate the legal consequences of child murder.
The Societal Scourge of Occult Violence
This case is far from an isolated anomaly in the region. Across Tanzania and neighboring nations, the intersection of economic desperation and belief in witchcraft creates a dangerous environment for the most vulnerable, particularly children and the elderly. Human rights organizations, including the Legal and Human Rights Centre, have long documented how the promise of wealth, or the fear of supernatural curses, can drive individuals to commit horrific acts of violence.
Sociologists observing the region point out that rapid socioeconomic shifts, which have seen wealth disparities widen, often correlate with a resurgence in occult-linked crime. When traditional avenues for economic stability feel inaccessible, vulnerable populations are sometimes exploited by opportunistic individuals claiming spiritual authority. These “witchdoctors” provide a convenient, albeit deadly, mechanism for individuals to project their frustrations and desires onto defenseless victims.
The Legal Landscape and the Death Penalty
The imposition of the death sentence in this case brings into focus the complex legal reality of capital punishment in Tanzania. While the death penalty remains on the statute books, the nation has maintained a long-standing de facto moratorium on actual executions, with those sentenced often remaining on death row for decades or having their sentences commuted to life imprisonment.
However, the judicial commitment to handing down such sentences—and the appellate court’s refusal to overturn them—acts as a significant punitive statement. It sends a chilling signal regarding the gravity with which the Tanzanian judiciary views the murder of children. As the country balances international human rights obligations against the local demand for justice in the face of brutal crimes, the ruling remains a stark reminder that legal systems are evolving to prioritize the protection of the innocent above all else.
As Emmanuel Safari faces the finality of his legal journey, the tragedy in Maganjwa Village leaves behind an uncomfortable question: what further efforts are required to sever the link between superstition and violence in rural communities? Until the promise of occult shortcuts is replaced by tangible socioeconomic opportunity, the shadow of such tragedies will continue to loom over the most vulnerable among us.
The suspect stated that he acted possessed by a compulsive thought. “I always feel like cutting off a human head whenever the spirit arrives,” he said. However, authorities have confirmed that in a recent case the suspect allegedly mutilated the victim’s body, removing specific parts to be used for ritualistic purposes.
Hence it is not clear whether this murder qualifies as a typical ritual murder that forms the focus of the present site.
This site focuses on murders committed to perform ritual acts with the sole purpose of benefiting from them, out of superstition. Mentally unstable murderers therefore do not belong to this category of ritual murderers.
To be continued. (webmaster FVDK)
‘I feel compelled to behead people when possessed’: ritual killer confesses.
Published: March 14, 2026 By: MyOnline – Ghana
Cudjoe Hlolary, the fetish priest accused of the gruesome murder of a 41-year-old woman, Joyce Akua Amponmaa, in the Central Region, has offered a chilling justification for his actions, claiming that he experiences an uncontrollable, violent urge to decapitate human beings whenever he is under a spiritual trance.
In a disturbing confession following his arrest, Hlolary detailed a pattern of erratic behaviour linked to what he described as a malevolent spirit.
He admitted that the attack on the deceased, whom he acknowledged was a “good woman”, was not an isolated incident but rather the culmination of urges he had been struggling to suppress.
During interrogation, the suspect revealed that his internal conflict began long before the murder of Joyce Amponmaa. He alleged that he had previously been possessed by the same spirit and had come perilously close to killing his own brother.
“I always feel like cutting off a human head whenever the spirit arrives,” Hlolary stated, adding that he had previously managed to restrain himself but failed to do so during the encounter with the deceased.
The confession has deepened the sense of shock within the Awutu Bentum community in the Central Region, with many questioning how a man who openly admitted to harbouring homicidal impulses was permitted to operate as a healer for vulnerable members of the public.
The investigation into the case has revealed disturbing details regarding the treatment of the victim’s remains. Authorities confirm that the suspect allegedly mutilated the victim’s body, removing specific parts to be used for ritualistic purposes.
Police are currently pursuing leads to verify the suspect’s claims that these remains were transported to his hometown in the Volta Region. The investigation team is working in coordination with traditional authorities in the region to locate the alleged burial site.
The family of the deceased remains devastated by the suspect’s attempt to use “spiritual possession” as a defense.
Speaking to the media, relatives of the late Joyce Amponmaa dismissed the priest’s narrative as a calculated tactic to evade accountability for a premeditated crime.
Twenty-five years after Aidan Minter made his shocking discovery, the case has been revisited in a new documentary, The Body in the River, which aired on Channel 5 (article included below).
The murder mystery was never solved. The boy’s identity remains unknown, the perpetrator(s) got away with their heinous crime.
I present the following article published by MyLondon.new for reasons of completeness though it contains little additional news compared to my previous posts.
It is followed by a Daily Mail article on the recently released documentary ‘Boy in the Thames Case’, available on Channel 5.
However, this also contains few new facts. Hence, the mystery remains. (webmaster FVD)
‘I saw a decapitated boy dumped in River Thames – one thing left me in utter disbelief’
Published: March 13, 2026 By: Daniel Windham – MyLondon
Aidan Minter
Aidan Minter says he will never forget the day he saw a headless boy’s body floating in the River Thames, a horrific discovery that has remained unsolved for more than two decades.
A man who discovered the mutilated body of a young boy in the River Thames has described the moment he realised what he was looking at as one of the most horrifying experiences of his life.
More than two decades after the shocking discovery, the case has been revisited in a new documentary, The Body in the River, which aired on Channel 5. Despite years of investigation, the child’s killer has never been brought to justice.
The victim — later named “Adam” by police — is believed to have been between four and seven years old and originally from Africa. Investigators concluded he had been trafficked into the UK before being brutally murdered in what experts believe was a ritual killing.
The grim discovery was made on September 21, 2001, when IT consultant Aidan Minter was crossing Tower Bridge and noticed something unusual drifting through the water below.
At first, he thought the object might be a shop mannequin with a piece of red cloth attached. But as it passed beneath the bridge, the horrifying truth became clear — it was the torso of a child.
Handout photo issued by ITV London Tonight of a child, named Adam by police(Image: PA)
Recalling the moment years later, Minter said the injuries immediately shocked him.
He told the programme: “So when I saw the the body as it floated under, I remember thinking that the amount of damage that have been done to it was just incredible. I was just in utter disbelief.
“It’s quite alarming when you see it up close because I was only about 30 ft away from me at the time. And the incoming tide was quite fast but it was long enough to see all of that detail.
“All of the injuries that had been inflicted on that. I’ve never seen anything like that before. And. I’ll never forget it. But it is probably one of the most horrific things I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Police recovered the body further upstream near Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre later that day.
Forensic analysis revealed the boy had died after his throat was cut. His arms, legs and head had all been deliberately removed, and those body parts have never been found.
Investigators also discovered he had been fed a strange mixture shortly before his death. Tests showed it contained African river clay, ground bone, vegetation and traces of gold and quartz. He had also been given small amounts of Calabar bean — a toxic plant known as the “doomsday bean” — which can cause paralysis while leaving a victim conscious.
Houses of Parliament, Thames River and Westminster Bridge in London(Image: Getty Images)
Experts concluded the killing was likely ritualistic, possibly linked to a distorted form of spiritual practices sometimes associated with “muti” killings or certain West African belief systems.
The case sparked international attention, prompting an appeal from former South African president Nelson Mandela.
He said: “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.”
Despite a number of arrests over the years, no one has ever been charged with Adam’s murder.
Former Metropolitan Police commander Andy Baker, who worked on the investigation, believes crucial evidence still exists somewhere in London.
He said: “When you think what that child went through, someone out there knows what happened. Whether that’s the murderer himself or those involved in the murder. There must be a crime scene somewhere. And it’s in London.
“There must be a place where Adam was laid upside down, tilted, head down, and then brutally dismembered and had his throat cut in such a violent way.
Andy Baker of Metropolitan Police(Image: Channel 5)
“There will still be traces of blood at that premises, so even now I’d appeal to anyone who knows anything. If they know where it is, we can go and get that forensic evidence. And then it starts again.”
Over the years, detectives uncovered evidence linking the boy to Nigeria. Pollen samples and scientific analysis suggested he had lived near Benin City before being brought to Europe.
A woman named Joyce Osagiede later admitted she had cared for the boy in Hamburg, Germany, where she purchased the distinctive orange shorts he was wearing when his body was found. However, investigators were unable to gather enough evidence to charge her or anyone else.
Multiple theories emerged, including the possibility that the child — whose real name may have been Ikpomwosa or Patrick Erhabor — had been trafficked before his death.
In 2006, Adam was buried in an unmarked grave in London.
Today, the case remains one of the most disturbing unsolved murders in British criminal history. For those who worked on it — and for the man who first spotted the body — the lack of answers still weighs heavily.
Detective Nick Chalmers, who was part of the investigation, 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.”
‘The Body In The Thames’ is available to watch and stream on Channel 5
The longest unsolved child murder case in modern UK history could still be answered because ‘someone out there knows what happened’, a retired detective has said.
‘Adam’ was a name given by Scotland Yard to a young boy whose dismembered body was discovered floating in the River Thames in London on September 21, 2001.
The child’s identity remains unknown 25 years later with no one ever charged despite an investigation that took police to South Africa, Holland, Germany and Nigeria.
Adam, who is thought to have been a Nigerian boy aged five or six, is believed to have been trafficked to the UK via Germany then murdered in a ritualistic killing.
His body, which had the head and limbs severed, was discovered near the Globe Theatre and numerous high-profile appeals followed, including by then President of South Africa Nelson Mandela.
Now, a new Channel 5 documentary called ‘The Body in The River’ which aired last night has re-examined the heartbreaking and disturbing story of Adam.
Despite a series of people being arrested, there has never been a charge over his murder – but police still believe the evidence they need is somewhere in London.
Andy Baker, a former Metropolitan Police commander who worked on the investigation, has told the programme that the case could still be solved.
The spot near the Globe Theatre where the boy’s torso was found in the River Thames in 2001A photo was released in 2011 claiming to be Adam – but this claim was withdrawn a year laterA police officer shows a pair of shorts found on Adam when his torso was discovered in 2001
He said: ‘When you think what that child went through, someone out there knows what happened. Whether that’s the murderer himself or those involved in the murder. There must be a crime scene somewhere. And it’s in London.
‘There must be a place where Adam was laid upside down, tilted, head down, and then brutally dismembered and had his throat cut in such a violent way.
‘There will still be traces of blood at that premises, so even now I’d appeal to anyone who knows anything. If they know where it is, we can go and get that forensic evidence. And then it starts again.’
The boy’s body was discovered by a passing businessman called Aidan Minter who spotted it while walking across Tower Bridge just ten days after the 9/11 attacks.
He initially thought it was a tailor’s mannequin, but realised it was a child’s dismembered and decapitated torso – and police pulled this from the water.
Investigations found the black boy could have been in the water for up to ten days after having his throat slit. His arms, legs and head were all amputated.
Police had few clues on his identity, other than a pair of orange shorts he was wearing – but appealed to the public for help, including on Crimewatch.
Some 60 people called the BBC show in an attempt to help and detectives offered a reward of £50,000 for information that led to a murder conviction.
Police also took specialist pathologist advice from as far afield as Africa and carried out groundbreaking work on DNA and pollen samples inside the body.
Officers established that the boy had been drugged with a ‘black magic’ potion and sacrificed in a voodoo-style ritual killing before being thrown into the Thames.
They used pioneering techniques to trace radioactive isotopes in his bones to his native Nigeria – and even asked Mandela to appeal for information, which he did.
But they always struggled to identify the boy, despite travelling to Nigeria to try to trace his family. Detailed analysis of a substance in the boy’s stomach was identified as a potion which included tiny clay pellets containing small particles of pure gold.
Andy Baker, a former Metropolitan Police commander who worked on the Adam investigation, has told a new Channel 5 documentary that the case could still be solved 25 years laterA graphic prepared by Scotland Yard detectives investigating the murder of Adam in 2001ITV News tracked down Joyce Osagiede in Nigeria in 2011, and she said Adam was the boy in the photo – and his real name was Ikpomwosa, although withdrew this claim one year later
This indicated that Adam had suffered a Muti ritual killing, when a victim’s body parts are removed and used by witchdoctors as ‘medicine’ based on a belief that the body parts of children are sacred. The bodies are then often disposed of in flowing water.
Another theory was he was a human sacrifice linked to Yoruban beliefs in Nigeria, in an offering to the goddess Oshun – typically associated with water and fertility.
Police had a breakthrough in July 2002 when social workers in Glasgow were alerted to the safety of two girls living with their African mother Joyce Osagiede.
She had ritualistic objects in her home and spoke about cults, killings and of sacrifices during a family court hearing – which led to police searching her property.
Detectives found clothes with the ‘Kids & Company’ label – the same one as on Adam’s shorts – and in the same sizes as his clothing. Osagiede was then arrested.
Officers never charged her, but by December that year police had determined his birthplace to a strip of land around Benin City in Nigeria – Osagiede’s home city.
German police discovered she had lived in Hamburg until late 2001 – the city where the orange shorts found on Adam’s body were believed to have been purchased.
Osagiede was eventually deported after the Home Office rejected her asylum application but disappeared after arriving in Lagos on a chartered private jet.
Officers found she had a contact in her phone for a man called Mousa Kamara, and discovered evidence of Nigerian rituals known as Juju at his London home.
Kamara, whose real name turned out to be Kingsley Ojo, was arrested but released on bail because there was no evidence directly linking him to Adam’s murder.
Police did however charge Ojo with people smuggling and using fake documents to obtain a passport and driving licence. He pleaded guilty and was jailed for four years.
Kingsley Ojo was arrested but released on bail because there was no evidence directly linking him to Adam’s murder. Police did however charge Ojo with other offences and he was jailedDetective Inspector Will O’Reilly and John Azah lay a wreath on the Thames for Adam in 2002
While in prison, Ojo contacted police and said he wanted to help track down the killer, feeding them information for two years following his release. But officers eventually determined they could not rely on him, and he was deported back to Nigeria in 2008.
By 2011, another lead came when police searched through Osagiede’s belongings left with a friend in Germany and found a photo of a boy aged about five taken in 2001.
ITV News tracked down Osagiede in Nigeria, and she claimed Adam was the boy in the photo – and his real name was Ikpomwosa. She said she looked after him then gave him to a man called Bawa. But detectives could not positively identify the boy.
One year later, Osagiede’s brother Victor contacted BBC News and said the boy in the photo was in fact not Adam or ‘Ikpomwosa’. A reporter travelled to Benin City and found Osagiede, but she appeared confused and gave two other names for Adam.
Osagiede also identified someone in photo as ‘Bawa’ – which was actually a picture of Ojo. The BBC then tracked down Ojo in Nigeria but he continued to deny involvement in Adam’s murder and no evidence has ever linked him to the crime.
Since 2013 the investigation has become a ‘cold case’ with no significant new lines of enquiry – and Victor confirmed in 2020 that Osagiede had died in Nigeria.
Police launched an appeal on the 20th anniversary, with Detective Chief Inspector Kate Kieran saying the case remaining unsolved was ‘incredibly sad and frustrating’.
Speaking in 2021, she added: ‘We recognise people may not have wanted to speak up at the time and may have felt loyal to the person or people involved in this.
‘However, over the past 20 years, allegiances and relationships may have changed and some people may now feel more comfortable talking to us.’
The case has remained unsolved since then, but Scotland Yard will be hoping that the documentary could change this. The Daily Mail has contacted the force for comment.
‘The Body In The Thames’ is available to watch and stream on Channel 5
Reportedly, the suspect, a spiritualist who allegedly inherited his father’s deities, confessed the ritual murder. The victim, his girlfriend, was found with body parts mutilated and missing. A source, present at the site where the victim’s body was discovered, reported that her head, hands, legs, private part had all been cut off (source: Eyewitness details how spiritualist allegedly killed girlfriend at Bentum, GhanaWeb, dated March 12, 2026).
This ritual murder case follows a previous one, which occurred two weeks ago. A newborn baby was found dead in a nearby community with body parts missing.
As a result, fear has struck the region. When will the perpetrators strike again? Who will be the next victim? Who are the perpetrators? (webmaster FVDK)
Spiritualist arrested over suspected murder of woman in Awutu Senya District
Published: March 12, 2026 By: myjoyonline.com
Police in the Central Region have arrested a man in his early twenties, identified as Horlali Alatusa, in connection with the suspected killing of a woman believed to be his girlfriend at Bentum in the Awutu Senya District.
The suspect was apprehended after a farmer lodged a complaint about a strong and unpleasant odour coming from a section of his farmland, raising suspicions among residents.
According to community members, some residents escorted the suspect to the farm on Tuesday, March 10, where they attempted to locate the body by digging a trench believed to have been earlier created by him. However, the initial search did not produce any results.
The situation was later reported to the police after residents noticed bloodstains around the area that had been dug, further deepening suspicions of foul play.
Police investigations subsequently led to the arrest of the suspect, who allegedly confessed during interrogation and directed officers to another location where the body of the deceased had been concealed.
The remains of the unidentified woman were discovered with several parts of the body mutilated.
Some residents suspect the killing may be linked to ritual practices, noting that the suspect is known in the community as a spiritualist who reportedly inherited his father’s deities.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to the media said the deceased had last been seen in the company of the suspect in the community on Sunday before she suddenly went missing.
Angered by the discovery of the body, some residents vandalised and demolished the suspect’s residence.
Police have since conveyed the remains for further examination while the suspect remains in custody to assist with ongoing investigations.
Fear in Awutu Bentum: Spiritualist Arrested Over Suspected Ritual Killing – YouTube
Residents of Awutu Bentum in the Central Region are gripped by fear following a series of suspected ritual killings in the community.
Police have arrested a spiritualist, Horlali Alatusa, in connection with the suspected murder of an unidentified woman believed to be his girlfriend. Residents became suspicious after the woman suddenly went missing and a foul stench was noticed from the suspect’s farm. After interrogation, the suspect reportedly led police to a spot where the decomposing remains of the victim were discovered.
The disturbing incident comes just two weeks after a newborn baby was found dead in a nearby community with body parts missing, deepening concerns about safety in the area.
Screenshot – to access the YouTube video, please click here
Warning: the article presented below contains graphic details of torture and murder that some readers may find distressing.
The main thrust of the article presented below was already the focus of an 2014 article which I posted in 2019, Children accused of witchcraft: abuse cases on the rise in UK. More than ten year after the publication of the first-mentioned article there is reason to again draw attention to this terrifying phenomenon. It is difficult to imagine that in our immediate environment children are abused, tortured, and sometimes killed because of the belief in witchcraft of the adult perpetrators, sometimes close relatives.
It all began with the discovery of the mutilated torso of a young boy floating in the river Thames, in 2001. The police gave him the name ‘Adam’ and under this name the poor victim became known worldwide. I have covered in much detail the horrific and sickening discovery and the harrowing story behind it. See my posts entitled The unsolved case of the torso in the Thames, Part I (dated March 25, 2019), Part II (March 27, 2019) and Part III (March 28, 2019).
Unfortunately, the case of ‘Adam’ does not stand alone as the article below amply demonstrates.
We must all be vigilant in identifying signs of child abuse and other crimes promptly and bringing them to the immediate attention of the authorities and relevant agencies. Vulnerable individuals in our society, such as young children, deserve a normal, loving life, free from threats and pain. (webmaster FVDK)
The disturbing evidence that witchcraft is spreading across Britain unchecked… 30 years after discovery of horrific voodoo-style murder should have ended it for good
Published: February 26, 2026 By: Aidan Radnedge and Nick Pyke, The Daily Mail
A quarter of a century has passed since the death of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie and the shocking realisation that voodoo-style murder and abuse were taking hold in the capital of a modern, affluent democracy.
Victoria met a horrific end. Tortured, beaten with implements including coat hangers and a bike chain, deliberately scalded and forced to sleep in a bin liner in a freezing bathroom, she finally died of multiple organ failure at the age of eight. Her tiny body, weighing just 3st 10lb, was marked by 128 separate injuries.
Her ‘crime’? The girl was said by relatives to have been possessed by ‘kindoki’, or evil spirits, requiring exorcism by a pastor and justifying a campaign of sadistic violence.
The killing in 2000 and the public enquiry that followed should have been seismic: a warning to the public and politicians that, however improbable, belief in witchcraft was emerging as a fact of life in Britain.
Yet today, despite the horror of Victoria’s death and subsequent cases, there is disturbing evidence that ritual violence – involving beliefs and practices overwhelmingly imported from abroad – is continuing to spread unchecked.
The latest official figures show a huge increase in the number of children identified as potential victims of abuse ‘linked to faith or belief’, a category including claims of witchcraft and spirit possession.
Analysis released late last year by the Local Government Association, representing councils and their social services departments in England, found there had been 2,180 cases of possible faith-linked abuse in 2024, a disturbing 49 per cent increase in the seven years since 2017.
Moreover, the true scale of the problem could be significantly worse amid fears that ritual abuse is routinely under-reported because social workers and others wish to avoid being labelled racist.
Among the most notorious cases was eight-year-old Victoria Climbié, tortured to death in 2000 by relatives who believed she was possessed
With motives ranging from ignorance and fear to the demented belief that human sacrifice confers supernatural protection, and even wealth, the cases that do reach the public eye are harrowing, the majority with links to sub-Saharan Africa.
A recent documentary film, Kindoki Witch Boy, tells the story of Mardoche Yembi, who had been sent from the Democratic Republic of Congo to live with his aunt and uncle in North London.
At the age of 12, Mardoche was branded a witch by relatives, accused of bringing bad luck and subjected to two months of traumatic exorcisms. The film is now available on YouTube.
An even more disturbing case took place on Christmas Day in 2010, when 15-year-old Kristy Bamu was beaten and drowned by his sister and her boyfriend in the London borough of Newham after being accused of ‘kindoki’, like Victoria Climbie.
Kristy endured four days of torture with knives, sticks, metal bars, a hammer and pliers. He drowned after being forced into a bath for ritual cleansing. Kristy’s siblings were also beaten but survived because they ‘confessed’ to being witches.
Magalie Bamu, then 29, and her partner Eric Bikubi, 28 – both Congolese – were jailed for life in 2012.
In sentencing them, the judge said: ‘The belief in witchcraft, however genuine, cannot excuse an assault to another person, let alone the killing of another human being.’
There are accusations of ‘possession’ in other cultures, too, with cases of abuse reported in Christian, Hindu and Muslim families, where some still believe in the idea of evil spirits known as ‘djinns’.
Just days before Kristy’s Bamu’s murder, Shayma Ali strangled then disembowelled her four-year-old daughter with a kitchen knife during a frenzied attempt to exorcise the girl.
Ali, who had gouged out the eyes of her daughter’s dolls to prevent them ‘seeing evil’, was sent to a mental hospital.
In 2005, two women were jailed at the Old Bailey after being convicted of child cruelty for torturing and threatening to kill an orphaned child refugee from Angola whom they claimed was a witch.
The Old Bailey was told that the girl, known only as Child B, was starved, cut with a knife, beaten with a belt and a shoe and had chilli peppers rubbed in her eyes to drive ‘the devil out of her’.
At one point, the eight-year-old was bundled into a zip-up laundry bag and told she would be ‘thrown away’ into a river. She was rescued after being found in her bare feet, shivering, outside a council house in Hackney.
His head, arms and legs had been removed in what detectives believe was a ritual killing, potentially as a sacrifice or in a ‘muti’ ceremony, in which body parts are taken in the belief they produce potent magical remedies.
The boy, aged between four and seven and found wearing only a pair of orange shorts, had recently arrived from Nigeria.
Britain’s leading rituals expert, Dr Richard Hoskins, brought into advise on the case, concluded that Adam was a victim of human sacrifice.
Victoria Climbié had been sent to England by her parents who hoped she would gain a better education than in her native Ivory CoastVictoria’s parents set up the Victoria Climbié Foundation following her death, campaigning for improvements to child protection in the UK
His 2012 book on the subject, The Boy in the River was serialised in The Mail on Sunday and is now scheduled to be dramatised as a feature film.
Dr Hoskins concluded that the boy had been trafficked to London, speculating that he was butchered while drugged but conscious by a ‘babalawo’ witchdoctor using rituals from the Yoruba people Osagiede of south-west Nigeria.
In Yoruban religion, wrote Dr Hoskins, ‘deities forming a bridge between this world and higher realms require sacrifice.
‘Not necessarily human sacrifice, of course, and especially not nowadays, but the practice persists in some deviant offshoots.’
In 2002, a Nigerian woman called Joyce Osagiede told Glasgow social workers that she had married a member of a cult called The Black Coat Eyes Of The Devil Guru Maharaj.
When later interviewed by British police in Lagos, she said she had been a cult organiser and had bought a pair of orange-red shorts similar to those found on Adam. She added: ‘I know he was killed in Lewisham.’
Osagiede later claimed to an ITV journalist that she had brought Adam to London and that his real name was Ikpomwosa. No one has ever been charged with his murder.
Yet it is the fate of Victoria Climbié that today remains the most notorious case of witchcraft abuse and killing in this country.
Victoria had been sent to England by her parents to gain a better education than in her native Ivory Coast but found only misery and death.
Victoria Climbié was starved, tortured, beaten with bike chains and kept prisoner in a freezing bathroom by her great-aunt Marie Therese Kouao and her partner Carl Manning (pictured)Marie-Therese Kouao (left), Victoria Climbié’s great-aunt, was complicit in her murder
Her great-aunt Marie Therese Kouao and her partner Carl Manning were jailed for life in 2001, convicted of murder and child cruelty.
The case was followed by a major public enquiry under Lord Laming which, in turn led to an overhaul of child protection measures in the UK, including the landmark 2004 Children Act.
Even now, ritual violence receives all-too-little attention, says Lancaster University’s Professor Charlotte Baker, who is co-director of the International Network Against Accusations of Witchcraft and Ritual Attacks.
‘If you spoke to many people about this issue, they’d think it was something from about 1,400 years ago,’ she told The Daily Mail last week.
‘Many schoolteachers might feel they shouldn’t ‘go there’, if they suspect something is taking place because they’re not comfortable handling such issues.
‘This needs to be treated seriously, disclosures need to be treated seriously – and the right questions need to be asked.
‘The UK must improve and make sure that anyone who does speak up to make disclosures about this abuse being carried out are taken seriously and responded to professionally.’
Former Conservative MP Tim Loughton, children’s minister in David Cameron’s coalition government and later chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, had his own experience of trying to combat ritual abuse.
Victoria’s parents Berthe and Francis are pictured at her grave in Kensal Rise Crematorium in London, along with daughter Joelle, in 2003 on the third anniversary of Victoria’s deathA boy named Adam’s head, arms and legs were removed in what detectives believe was a ritual ‘muti’ killing – his torso was discovered in the River Thames near Tower Bridge in 2001
‘The particular problem [at the time] was among communities of migrants from places such as the Congo, which were very closed communities, mostly but not exclusively in London, with very evangelical Christian church settings,’ he recalls.
‘There were very strange practices, all connected with voodoo – abusing children in attempts to drive the devil out of them and all this sort of nonsense.’
During his time in office, he launched a task force on faith-based child abuse, but he fears that official attention has now slipped.
Rohma Ullah, director of the National FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) Centre – which also tackles what it refers to as witchcraft and spirit possession abuse – is among those who believe frontline staff are wary of raising the alarm.
‘Witchcraft and spirit possession are among the most poorly understood areas in child protection,’ she says. ‘That’s really concerning and alarming. We know the data is not good enough and that professionals don’t know how to act. They don’t know what to do.
‘Professionals are anxious about discussing someone’s faith or beliefs because it’s very personal.
‘They fear being accused of being racist, for example – and so questions don’t get asked and opportunities get missed.’
She says that teachers as well as social workers should be alert to signs of abuse – such as, for example, a child appearing tired through having to pray all night to be rid of a devil inside them, or losing weight because food is being withheld at home.
15-year-old Kristy Bamu was beaten and drowned on Christmas Day 2010 by his sister and her boyfriend in east London after being accused of being a witchFollowing the murder, Magalie Bamu (left) and Eric Bikubi (right) were jailed for life
‘I would say the situation is fragmented,’ she continues. ‘Social workers are skilled in safeguarding, teachers are skilled in educating, police officers are skilling in preventing and addressing crime – but they also need to be equipped with specialist knowledge on this particular issue.’
Ms Ullah suggests the current figures, disturbing as they are, ‘probably don’t reflect the true prevalence of something that’s very hidden.’
She believes allegations of witchcraft and spirit possession receive too little attention when abusers to court and suggests they should be flagged as aggravating features when the perpetrators are sentenced.
And witchcraft has now been included for the first time in new toughened-up Crown Prosecution Guidance, published today in a bid to tackle ‘honour’-based abuse, forced marriage and other abuses.
Newly included in guidance for prosecutors are practices such as dowry abuse, immigration-related exploitation, transnational marriage abandonment and spiritual or ritualistic abuse linked to beliefs in witchcraft, spirit possession or demonic influence.
While there is no standalone withcraft-related offence, the Home Office said: ‘Prosecutors must treat these cases as serious criminality within the wider context of harmful practices and “honour”-based abuse, assessing which offences may apply on a case-by-case basis.’
Baljit Ubhey, CPS director of policy, said: ‘Our updated guidance equips prosecutors to identify emerging patterns of abuse, understand the wider context in which it occurs, and take swift, effective action to safeguard victims and bring perpetrators to justice.’
It is not as if we haven’t been warned. It is more than a decade since the United Nations reported: ‘Hundreds of children have been abducted from their families in Africa and trafficked to the UK, especially London. Many are raped and sexually abused.’
Commenting in The Mail on Sunday at the time, Dr Hoskins went further, arguing that ‘London has become the hub, the epicentre for a global trafficking enterprise involving thousands of children for exploitation, sexual abuse and even, in some unspeakable cases, ritual voodoo killing…’
‘There is a vast reservoir of lost children gathering in our own capital anonymously shuffled from flat to shabby flat – a dark pool feeding child exploitation and misery across the planet.’
Today’s evidence suggests that, chillingly, this terrible picture might now be darker still.
Warning: the following article contains graphic details which may upset readers
Another case of suspected ritual killing in Uganda, not the first one reported here, to put it mildly. And yet again parents seem to have been involved though we have to be careful with our judgments. No one is guilty unless found guilty by an independent court in a public, fair, and transparent trial.
That being said I’m afraid that it won’t be the last time I a report here a case of suspected or proven ritualistic killing: murder for ritualistic purposes, believing in the supernatural powers of magic or witchcraft, and with the intention to became rich or richer, famous or more famous. The right to live – of the innocent victim – is being sacrificed for the wellbeing of the perpetrator or the person who order the killing.
Let justice be done! (webmaster FVDK)
Police Arrest Mother, Neighbor Over Suspected Ritual Killing of 14-Year-Old in Luwero
Sam Twiineamazima, the Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson, explained that on the day of the incident, Lule led the boy to a hilltop in the village known for spiritual rituals, allegedly on instructions from Muntu’s father, identified only as Kalyango Konooweka.
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Published: March 3, 2026 By: Brian Luwaga, Bureau Chief – Uganda Radio Network
Police in Luweero District are investigating the suspected ritual killing of a 14-year-old boy in Bugabo Village, Mabuye Parish, Kamira Sub-county.
According to Savannah Regional Police spokesperson ASP Sam Twiineamazima, the victim, a pupil at Domasco Primary School, was allegedly taken to a hilltop shrine by a man identified as Godfrey Lule, also known as Kutesa, reportedly on the instructions of the boy’s father, Kalyango, also known as Konoweka.
“It is alleged that the suspect took the victim to a hill where spiritual rituals are reportedly conducted. They shared a meal and later slept at the altar,” Twiineamazima said.
Police reports indicate that at around 6am, the suspect allegedly attacked the minor with a panga, inflicting a fatal cut to the left side of his neck.
“The suspect attempted to flee after committing the offence but was arrested following an alarm raised by the mother of the deceased,” Twiineamazima added.
The victim’s mother, Christine Nabuuma, also known as Mumbejja, has also been arrested to assist with ongoing investigations.
Police said officers responded to the scene, secured and documented it, and recovered several exhibits believed to be relevant to the case. The body was conveyed to Luweero Hospital mortuary for a postmortem examination.
“We recovered key exhibits including the suspected murder weapon, blood samples and clothing believed to have been stained with blood. Investigations are ongoing to establish the exact motive and whether there was any ritual involvement,” Twiineamazima stated.
Authorities say detectives are continuing with inquiries to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident. The suspects remain in custody as investigations proceed.
Unfortunately, murders for ritualistic purposes are not an exception in the West African country of Sierra Leone even though reported cases are relatively scarce. But, as in many other African countries, there might be a substantial gap between reported cases and the reality. Cases may go unreported for various reasons: protection of the perpetrator or the person who ordered the crime for ritualistic purposes, fear of reprisal, or simply because the victim of the crime was successfully hidden, e.g. in a dense forest area.
The article below is a living testimony that also in Sierra Leone the trade in human body parts makes innocent victims. The criminalization of what was once a traditional ceremony—albeit a deadly one—is not limited to Sierra Leone, unfortunately. The BBC investigation below exposes the grim reality of contemporary ritual killings for individual, personal gain: get-rich-quick schemes, increased social status, or for political purposes.
Warning: some readers may find the following articles disturbing because of their graphic contents. (webmaster FVDK)
Hunting down those who kill people to sell their body parts for ‘magic charms’
Papayo’s mother Sally Kalokoh has not come to terms with her son’s death and wants his killers found
Published: November 24, 2025 By: BBC – Tyson Conteh, Sierra Leone
With many families left traumatised by killings apparently linked to supposed magic rituals in Sierra Leone, BBC Africa Eye looks into those behind the trade in human body parts.
Warning: This article contains details some readers may find disturbing.
The mother of an 11-year-old boy murdered as part of a suspected black magic killing four years ago is devastated that no-one has yet been brought to justice for his death.
“Today I’m in pain. They killed my child and now there is just silence,” Sallay Kalokoh told BBC Africa Eye, explaining how her son Papayo was found with parts of his body removed, including his vital organs, eyes and one arm.
He had gone out to sell fish at the market and never came back.
His family searched for him for two weeks – and finally found his mutilated corpse at the bottom of a well.
“We always tell our children to be careful. If you are selling, don’t go to a corner or take gifts from strangers. It happens frequently in this country,” Ms Kalokoh said.
This murder in my hometown of Makeni, in central Sierra Leone, has haunted me as we often hear of reports of killings linked to black magic, also known as juju, that are never followed up or properly investigated by the authorities.
In Papayo’s case, the police did not even confirm that it was a “ritual killing” – when a person is murdered so that parts of their body can be used in so-called magic rituals by illicit juju practitioners.
They promise things like prosperity and power to clients who pay large sums in the false belief that human body parts can make such charms more potent.
But with the authorities severely under-resourced – there is only one pathologist in a country that has a population of 8.9 million – it is often impossible to gather the evidence needed to track down the culprits.
Belief in witchcraft is also so deeply ingrained in Sierra Leone, even among many police officers, that there is often a fear of pursuing cases further – and most go unsolved.
But I wanted to find out more about this underground trade in human body parts that leaves tragedy in its wake.
Our BBC Africa Eye team was able to find two people who claimed they were juju practitioners and offered to obtain body parts for ritual purposes.
Both said they were part of much larger networks – and one boasted that he had powerful clients across West Africa. The BBC was unable to verify these claims.
One member of our team went undercover, using the name Osman, to pose as a politician who wanted to achieve power through human sacrifice.
We first travelled to a remote area of Kambia district, in the north of the country near the Guinean border, to meet the juju man in his secret shrine – an area in dense bush where he consulted with his clients.
Calling himself Kanu, he wore a ceremonial red mask covering his whole face to conceal his identity and boasted of his political connections.
“I was working with some big, big politicians in Guinea, Senegal and Nigeria. We have our team. Sometimes during election time, at night, this place is full of people,” he claimed.
On a second visit, Kanu became more confident and showed Osman what he said was evidence of his trade – a human skull.
“You see this? This belongs to someone. I dried it for them. It is a woman’s skull. I am expecting the person to pick this up today or tomorrow.”
He also pointed to a pit behind his shrine: “This is where we hang human parts. We slaughter here, and the blood goes down there… Even big chiefs, when they want power, come here. I give them what they want.”
When Osman specified that he wanted limbs from a woman to be used in a ritual, Kanu got down to business: “The price of a woman is 70m leones [£2,500; $3,000].”
Sierra Leone is one of the world’s poorest countries and is recovering from the legacy of a brutal 11-year civil war
Anxious not to put anyone at risk, we did not meet Kanu again. He may have been a scammer, but we handed over our evidence to the local police to investigate further.
Such juju men sometimes refer to themselves as herbalists, the name given to healers who use traditional medicine often made from local plants to treat common illnesses.
World Health Organization data shows that Sierra Leone – which suffered a brutal civil war in the 1990s and was at the centre of the Ebola epidemic a decade ago – had around 1,000 registered doctors in 2022, compared to reported estimates of 45,000 traditional healers.
Most people in the West African nation rely on these healers, who also help with mental health issues and treat their patients in shrines where there is an element of mysticism and spiritualism culturally associated with their craft and the remedies they sell.
Sheku Tarawallie, president of Sierra Leone’s Council of Traditional Healers, is adamant that “diabolic” juju men like Kanu are giving healers a bad name.
“We are trying very hard to clear our image. The ordinary person doesn’t understand, so they class us [all] as bad herbalists. One rotting fish can destroy the batch of fish… We are healers, we are not killers,” he told BBC Africa Eye.
Mr Tarawallie is in fact trying to work with the government and another non-governmental organisation to open a traditional medicine clinic to treat patients.
It was those with a lust for power and money who were often behind the ritual killings, he believed.
“When somebody wants to become a leader… they remove parts from human beings. They use that one as a sacrifice. Burn people, use their ashes for power. Use their oil for power.”
The number of ritual killings in Sierra Leone, where most people identify as Muslim or Christian, is not known.
“In most African countries, ritual murders are not officially recorded as a separate or sub-category of homicide,” Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu, a lecturer at the UK’s Arden University, told the BBC.
“Some are misclassified or misreported as accidents, deaths resulting from attacks by wild animals, suicides, natural deaths… Most perpetrators – possibly 90% – are not apprehended.”
When we found another suspected supplier of body parts, he was located in a suburb of the capital, Freetown, called Waterloo, which is notorious for drug abuse and other crime.
“I’m not alone, I have up to 250 herbalists working under my banner,” the man calling himself Idara told Osman, who was again undercover and wearing a secret camera.
“There are no human parts that we don’t work with. Once we call for a specific body part, then they bring it. We share the work,” Idara said.
He went on to explain how some of his collaborators were good at capturing people – and on Osman’s second visit played a voice message from one of them who claimed they were prepared to start going out every night in search of a victim.
Osman told him not to proceed yet but when he later received a call from Idara claiming his team had identified a victim, we contacted Police Commissioner Ibrahim Sama.
He decided to organise a raid – but said his officers would not do so without the involvement of Mr Tarawallie, who often assists the police on such operations.
“When we got intelligence that there is a particular dangerous witchdoctor operating a shrine, we will work with the traditional healers,” said an officer on the raid, Assistant Superintendent Aliu Jallo.
He went on to express the superstitions some officers have about tackling rogue herbalists: “I will not go and provoke situations. I know that they have their own powers that are beyond my knowledge.”
After Idara was captured – discovered hiding in the roof clutching a knife – Mr Tarawallie began searching the property for evidence, saying there were human bones, human hair and piles of what looked like dirt from cemeteries.
This was enough for the police to arrest Idara and two other men, who were charged in June with practising sorcery as well as being in possession of traditional weapons used in ritual killings. They pleaded not guilty to the charges and have since been granted bail, pending further investigations.
The police raided this house in Waterloo and arrested the occupants, including Idara, who were later charged under anti-witchcraft laws
As we never heard back from the police in Kambia about Kanu, I tried to call him myself to challenge him about the allegations directly, but he was unreachable.
There are occasions when even high-profile cases appear to stall. Two years ago, a university lecturer went missing in Freetown and his body was later found buried in what police say was the shrine of a herbalist in Waterloo.
The case was referred in August 2023 by a magistrate to the High Court for trial, but two sources have told the BBC it has not been pursued so far and those detained by police have been released on bail.
My family is facing similar hurdles finding justice. In May, during our BBC investigation, my 28-year-old cousin Fatmata Conteh was murdered in Makeni.
A hairdresser and mother of two, her body was dumped the day after her birthday by the side of the road where a resident told the BBC two other bodies had been found in recent weeks.
Several of her front teeth were missing, leading the community to believe it was a ritual killing.
“She was a lady that never did harm. She was very peaceful and hard-working,” said one mourner as family, friends and colleagues gathered for a big funeral at her local mosque.
We may never know the true motive for Fatmata’s murder. The family paid for her body to be transported to Freetown for an autopsy – something the authorities could not afford to do – but the post-mortem was inconclusive and no arrests have yet been made.
As is the case for Papayo’s mother, the lack of closure and feeling of abandonment by the police fuels fear and terror in poor communities like Makeni.
Additional reporting by Chris Alcock and Luis Barrucho
‘Murder for black magic’: when body parts are sold for ‘magical amulets’
A series of murders suspected of being caused by black magic rituals has shaken Sierra Leone
“Murder for black magic”: The horrific stories in Africa where body parts are sold for ‘magical amulets’
Published: November 26, 2025 By: Vox News
Four years ago, 11-year-old Papayo was killed in a crime believed to have been part of a black magic ritual. His mother, Sallay Kalokoh, is devastated that no one has yet been brought to justice. Papayo was found butchered at the bottom of a well, with body parts removed, including vital organs, eyes and one arm. He had gone to sell fish at the market and never returned.
“We always advise children to be careful. If you sell something, don’t go to some remote corner and don’t accept gifts from strangers. This happens a lot in this country,” Kalokoh said.
Papayo’s murder in the central city of Makeni is just one of many suspected cases of black magic (juju) that are often not investigated or pursued by authorities. In his case, police never confirmed that it was a “ritual killing.”
The dark market for body parts
Juju practitioners promise prosperity and power to clients who pay large sums, believing that human body parts make their spells more powerful. However, with authorities having limited resources – just one pathologist for a population of 8.9 million – it is difficult to gather evidence to prosecute the perpetrators.
Belief in witchcraft is so ingrained in Sierra Leone, even among some police officers, that there is often a fear of pursuing cases, and most remain unsolved.
According to a BBC Africa Eye investigation, the team managed to contact two people who claimed to be juju practitioners and offered body parts for rituals. They said they were part of larger networks and one claimed to have powerful clients in West Africa, but the BBC was unable to verify these claims.
A team reporter went by the name Osman, posing as a politician seeking power through human sacrifice. In a remote area of ??Kambia district, he met a practitioner who wore a red ceremonial mask and threatened to work with top politicians in Guinea, Senegal, and Nigeria. He showed a human skull and a pit where body parts were placed.
When Osman asked for body parts from a woman for the ritual, the practitioner estimated the price at 70 million leones (around £2,500 / $3,000). For the safety of the team, the BBC did not meet the practitioner again, but handed over the evidence to the local police.
The role of traditional healers
Some practitioners are also called traditional healers and use plants to treat common ailments. Sierra Leone has about 1,000 registered doctors and about 45,000 traditional healers, who often also help with mental health issues.
Sheku Tarawallie, president of the Traditional Healers Council, points out that “evil” practitioners give all healers a bad name: “We are healers, not killers. One rotten fish can spoil all the wheat… We are trying to clean up our image.”
He believes that behind the ritual killings are those who covet power and money “when someone wants to become a leader… they remove parts from people. They use them as sacrifices, they burn people, they use the ashes and oil for power.”
Police operations and arrests
A suspected supplier was found in Waterloo, a Freetown neighborhood known for crime and drug use. He claimed to have 250 healers working under him and could provide any body part required.
The police, in collaboration with Tarawallie, organized a raid. Idara was caught hiding on the roof with a knife. Bones, human hair, and cemetery soil were found on the property. He and two others were charged with practicing witchcraft and possessing ritual weapons. They pleaded not guilty and were released on bail.
Other cases and lack of justice
Two years ago, a university lecturer disappeared in Freetown and was later found in a ritual square. Families like Papayo’s and those of her 28-year-old cousin Fatmata Conteh, who was killed in Makeni, face the same obstacles to justice. The autopsy was inconsistent and there were no arrests.
The market for body parts for witchcraft rituals in Sierra Leone remains secretive, dangerous and largely unsolved. A lack of resources, deep-rooted belief in witchcraft and challenges to proper investigation leave communities impoverished and terrified, as families seek justice for their loved ones.
Human Sacrifice in Sierra Leone Driven by Black Magic Practices
Published: November 26, 2025 By: Khaborwala International Desk
The superstition surrounding black magic remains deeply rooted in Sierra Leone, where numerous families have suffered killings linked to the illegal trade in human body parts. Shocking details have emerged in an investigation by BBC Africa Eye.
Four years ago, 11-year-old Papayo was murdered in the name of black magic. His mother, Sallai Kaloka, is still waiting for justice. She told the BBC, “I am in great pain. They killed my child, and now there is only silence.”
Sallai said Papayo never returned home after she left for the market to sell fish. When his body was found, vital organs, his eyes, and one hand had been removed. After being missing for two weeks, his mutilated body was discovered in an abandoned well.
She said, “We always warn our children—don’t go to deserted places, be cautious before accepting anything from strangers. Incidents like this happen frequently here.”
According to Sallai, such killings are common in their town, Makeni. Police often do not even classify them as ritual killings. Juju practitioners use human body parts for charms or rituals and lure clients by promising wealth or power. With only one pathologist for a population of 8.9 million, proper investigations are nearly impossible.
Belief in black magic is so strong in Sierra Leone that even police officers are often afraid to investigate these cases, leaving most crimes unresolved. BBC Africa Eye found two individuals who claimed to be juju practitioners and offered to supply human body parts.
One of them said they had clients across several West African countries. A BBC Africa Eye member, disguised as a politician named Osman, travelled to Kambia district near the Guinea border to meet a juju practitioner named Kanu, whose face was covered with a red cloth throughout the meeting.
Kanu said, “I have worked with major politicians in Guinea, Senegal, and Nigeria. People flock here during election periods.” He then showed a dried human skull, claiming, “This belonged to a woman. Someone will take it within a few days.” According to him, female body parts cost 70 million leones, or around 3,000 dollars.
For safety reasons, the BBC made no further contact with him. The collected information has been handed to the police.
Many juju practitioners in Sierra Leone identify themselves as herbalists. Yet, as of 2022, the country had only about 1,000 registered doctors, compared to nearly 45,000 traditional healers. Many people seek help from these healers for mental health and other issues.
Sheku Tarawali, president of the Sierra Leone Council of Traditional Healers, said black magic practitioners like Kanu are tarnishing the reputation of herbalists. He accused some individuals of committing these murders for power and money.
BBC Africa Eye also identified another suspected supplier of body parts in Waterloo. The man, using the alias “Idara”, claimed to have 250 witchdoctors and spirit practitioners working under him and said they could provide any body part if required.
During one meeting, he played a voice note from an associate saying they were ready to hunt for a “victim” that night. After receiving this information, Police Commissioner Ibrahim Sama launched a raid with Sheku Tarawali and a specialist team. Human bones, hair, and various body parts were recovered.
Earlier, the body of a university lecturer had been found in a temple in Waterloo. The case went to the High Court but never progressed, and the suspects were released on bail.
During the BBC investigation, 28-year-old Fatmata Conteh was murdered in Makeni. Her body was found by the roadside the day after her birthday, with several front teeth missing—leading locals to believe it was a ritual killing. Her family sent the body to Freetown for an autopsy at their own expense, but no findings emerged.
Like Papayo’s mother, many families continue to suffer without justice. Police inaction and a culture of fear have intensified widespread panic across the region.
Ritual murder – locally known as ‘muti murder’ – is not uncommon in Zimbabwe although it remains an exceptional crime that we must reject, combat and punish. The last time I posted on murder for ritualistic purposes in this Southern African country was on July 6 this year.
I take here a brief, superficial look at a number of reported and suspected or cases of ritual murder in Zimbabwe which have been reported in the current year, 2025, and in 2024 – with the important disclaimer that I do not claim to present an exhaustive list of reported muti murder cases, and underlining that many ritual murders go unnoticed.
In this post I do not include the original article(s), which is my usual procedure (for fear of losing the source in cyberspace). This time I take the risk… I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause to the reader.
Before presenting you aforementioned list, I wish to share with you a succinct but very correct description of ‘ritual murder; thanking Lovemore Muzira of Pendula News, Zimbabwe for the quote:
‘Ritual killings are premeditated murders carried out on the belief that human body parts hold supernatural powers.’ Unquote.
Journalist Lovemore Muzira is a regular contributor to Pindula News with a background in Political Science and International Relations and has written most of the articles referred to below. He is to be commended for drawing our attention to this plague – murdering for ritualistic purposes, which are a serous human rights violation and cause fear and sadness.
The reader is reminded of the Makore ritual murder case: 7-year old Tapiwa Makore was murdered by his uncle and an accomplice for ritualistic purposes. His cruel death in 2020 shocked the nation and the high-profile muti murder of the young boy was leading headlines in newspapers for many years, 2020-2025. I also covered the tragic murder case and following trial on this site. Unfortunately, ritual murderers learn little from the punishment imposed on the murderers: ultimately they were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Warning: some of the following articles contain graphic details which may disturb the reader.
On a recent suspected case of ritual murder, in Norton, Zimbabwe, Lovemore Muzira reported:
Decomposing Body Of Missing Chitungwiza Teacher Found In Gutu Published: October 8, 2024 By: Lovemore Muzira – Pendula News, Zimbabwe Parts of the decomposing body of Stella Mushangidze Chidzenga, a Chitungwiza teacher were recently found in Gutu, Masvingo Province.
