Category Archives: witchdoctor

Ritual murder in Sierra Leone: ‘Murder for black magic’

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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.

Election season is regarded by some as a particularly dangerous time when parents have been warned to take special care of their children because of the heightened risk of abductions.

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.

If you’re outside the UK, you can watch the documentary on YouTube

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

Source: Hunting down those who kill people to sell their body parts for ‘magic charms’

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‘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.

Source: “Murder for black magic”: The horrific stories in Africa where body parts are sold for ‘magical amulets’

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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.

Khaborwala/TSN

Source: Human Sacrifice in Sierra Leone Driven by Black Magic Practices

Liberia: elderly woman killed over witchcraft accusation in Maryland County; five arrested

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Witchcraft accusations are not uncommon in Liberia – nor in other African countries, as can be read in my recent post of August 18 and older posts.

I’ve commented in older posts on the outdated practice of witchcraft accusations and related maltreatment, sassywood practices (trial by ordeal) and mob justice. For briefness sake I present here some of my earlier posts on this subject. The reader is warned that some graphic details may be shocking.

Accusations of witchcraft are not limited to a particular area, county, town, village or tribe, as the following lists shows. Moreover, it must be emphasized that reported cases are usually the tip of an iceberg. It must be feared that many cases remain unreported.

Liberia: School expels K-1 pupil for alleged witchcraft
March 20, 2021

Liberia: woman dies after reportedly taking ‘sassywood’ to clear her innocence from witchcraft allegations
August 29, 2020

Liberia: adolescent girl tortured, accused of witchcraft
July 5, 2020

Liberia: Police and Gender Ministry rescue 29 children accused of witchcraft in Nimba County
January 18, 2020

Liberia: Maryland police arrest eight suspects for murdering three for witchcraft
September 9, 2019

Liberia: Sinoe County ‘Witchcraft Case’ transferred to Grand Bassa County
August 31, 2019

Also, during the back-to-back civil wars (1989-2003) witchcraft accusations as well as other ritual abuse and practices including cannibalism were a cruel realty, see my October 2022 post, Atrocities, witchcraft, superstition and ritualistic cannibalism during Liberia’s First Civil War (1989-1997).
(webmaster FVDK)

Liberia: Elderly woman killed over witchcraft accusation in Maryland County; five arrested.

Published: August 19, 2025
By: Christian Appleton – GNN General News network, Liberia

Source: Elderly woman killed over witchcraft accusation in Maryland County; five arrested.

Tanzania: Police crackdown on rising ritual killings in Singida Region

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It’s unclear whether the rising numbers of missing persons, abductions and suspected and confirmed cases of ritualistic killings are related to internal Tanzanian politics. However, what is clear is that there is is increasing level of insecurity in certain parts of this East African country notably in the Singida region whereas the role played by certain witchdoctors seems undeniable.

The Tanzanian police arrested seven people. Will this stop the abductions and killings? It all depends on the follow-up of these arrests – and may be more to come? – that is to say it all depends on the authorities to show seriousness and perseverance to restore security and the rule of law in the country thereby restoring confidence in their government of local residents.
(webmaster FVDK)

Tanzania: Police crackdown on rising ritual killings in Singida

The Tanzania Police Force spokesperson David Misime. PHOTO | COURTESY

Published: August 26, 2024
By: The Citizen, Tanzania

Source: Police crackdown on rising ritual killings in Singida

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Tanzania police arrest seven in connection with gruesome murders


Police spokesperson David Misime

Published: August 26, 2024
By: Sharon Sauwa – The Citizen, Tanzania
Sharon Sauwa is the The Citizen reporter based in Dodoma.

Source: Tanzania police arrest seven in connection with gruesome murders

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Tanzania Police unveils shocking incidents of homicides, ritual killings

Police spokesperson David Misime

Published: August 24, 2024
By: The Citizen, Tanzania

Source: Tanzania Police unveils shocking incidents of homicides

And:

Opposition party Chadema demands judicial inquiry into abductions, ritual killings

Chadema national chairman Freeman Mbowe speaks during press conference in Dar es Salaam on August 22, 2024. PHOTO | SUNDAY GEORGE

Published: August 23, 2024
By: The Citizen, Tanzania

Source: Chadema demands judicial inquiry into abductions, killings

Map of Tanzania showing location of Singida region

Uganda: two witchdoctors remanded over Kiboga girl killed in ritual sacrifice

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The following article is a painful read. It is a horrifying murder, a child sacrifice.

In Kiboga District two witchdoctors have been seized suspected of murdering a 11-year old girl, Oliver Amanda, for ritual purposes. The girl had been missing since June 11. She was found dead, mutilated, with body parts missing.

This is not the first suspected ritualistic murder in the region. Recently, in April, police arrested a witchdoctor, Sulaiman Ssentongo, on suspicion of having murdered for ritual purposes two siblings, two-year old Esther Nakasumba, and five-year Sylvia Nantongo. The headless bodies of the victims were discovered the day after they had disappeared. See my April 25 post on this ritual murder case.

When will it stop? How to stop child sacrifice and other criminal ritualistic acts – in Uganda and elsewhere on the African continent?
(FVDK)

Two witchdoctors remanded over Kiboga girl killed in ritual sacrifice

Madina Nakyeyuna  (in pink) accompanied by a prison warder as she appeared at the Kiboga Chief Magistrate Court where she was charged with murder alongside her colleague Hamimu Luyombya (not pictured). Photo/ Courtesy

Published: June 25, 2024

By: Busein Samilu – The Monitor, Uganda

What you need to know:

  • Oliver Namanda, 11, was found dead a day after she went missing.
  • Her internal organs had been removed 
  • She was last seen vending boiled maize in Kiboga town on June 11

Source: Two witchdoctors remanded over Kiboga girl killed in ritual sacrifice

Map showing Kiboga District in Uganda. Source: Wikimedia

Uganda: witchdoctor arrested over murder of two siblings in ritual sacrifice

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Due to time constraints I haven’t posted much recently. The ritual murder reported below dates from early April. A witchdoctor killed two childen for ritual purposes in Kiboga District, approximately 120 kilometres (75 mi), by road, northwest of Kampala, Uganda’s capital. The headless bodies of the victims were discovered the day after the two children, siblings, got missing. 

The police and authorities in Uganda are to be commended for their swift action. The witchdoctor, Sulaiman Ssentongo, and an accomplice, Maureen Namuleme, were arrested. More arrests are not excluded.
(FVDK)

Witchdoctor arrested over murder of two siblings in ritual sacrifice

Published: April 9, 2024
By: The Observer, Uganda

The directorate of crime intelligence (DCI) has arrested a witch doctor, Sulaiman Ssentongo, suspected of having killed two children in Kiboga on Wednesday last week for ritual sacrifice.

After committing the crime, Ssentongo reportedly fled to Kireka, Kira Municipality, in Wakiso district. Shock engulfed residents of Kasega parish, Kapeke sub-county, when the siblings; Sylvia Nantongo aged five and Esther Nakasumba aged two mysteriously went missing. Locals launched a search for the siblings on Wednesday night and their headless bodies were discovered the next day. 

Upon finding the bodies, police in Kiboga launched investigations using sniffer dogs which ended up at Ssentongo’s shrine. It was later established that Ssentongo aged 32 had fled the area with the help of his accomplice Maureen Namuleme, aged 41.

Kiboga police quickly alerted DCI and the police’s cyber unit which started tracking the duo’s movement using a mobile phone until they were found hiding in Kireka township, one of the busiest suburbs of Kampala. 

Detectives have revealed that Ssentongo has confessed that he was given transport money to run to safety after committing the crime by Namuleme – something which he later denied. The duo has been transported back to Kiboga where they allegedly committed the crime. SP Racheal Kawala, Wamala regional police spokesperson, has confirmed Ssentongo and Namuleme’s arrest.

“Our crime intelligence operatives have apprehended two suspects in connection with the double murders that occurred in Kasega parish, Kapeke sub-county, Kiboga district. The suspects have been identified as Sulaiman Ssentongo, 32 years old Namuleme Maureen, 41 years old,” said Kawala. 

Ssentongo is a resident of Kirinda village, Kasega parish, Kapeke sub-county, in Kiboga district while Namuleme is a resident of Kisingiri cell, Namiremebe Bakuli ward, Rubaga division, Kampala. 

Kawala said Ssentongo was tracked using his mobile phone. She also said that Ssentongo alleges that Namuleme is the person who helped him with money to flee the scene. 

“The suspects are currently detained at Kiboga CPS for interrogation, bringing the total number of arrests to three. Preliminary findings suggest that on April 3, 2024, at 10:00 pm, two children, were reported missing. Unfortunately, their torsos were discovered on April 4, 2024, in Kirinda village, Kasega parish, Kapeke sub-county,” Kawala explained.

However, it is not yet clear whether the children were alone at the time they were abducted by the witch doctor or whether there was assistance from a close relative since they went missing in the night hours.

Source: Witchdoctor arrested over murder of two siblings in ritual sacfrice

Kiboga District, Uganda

Limpopo province, South Africa: 18-year-old teenager murdered, body parts missing, sangoma arrested

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Limpopo province is notorious for its ritualistic murders and feared disappearances. It is South Africa’s northernmost province and named after the Limpopo River.

The province’s main ethnic groups are the Pedi, the Tsonga and the Venda. Traditional leaders still hold an important position in society. The total population of about 5.5 million people is made up of a large black majority (96.5%) and small minorities of whites (2.5%), Indian or Asia (0.5%) and colored people (0.3%). (Source: Wikipedia.)

Sangomas or witch doctors are both respected and feared, and consulted by a large part of the population. Their role in the traditional treatment of an illness, to deal with evil spirits or to protect against witchcraft is undisputed and often requires as a sacrifice an animal or other forms.

An unknown number of sangomas are involved in criminal ritualistic activities and acts, notably ritual murder. Reportedly, this is the case with the sangoma arrested in Mokomene village in Botlokwa, Limpopo province, earlier this week. Read the gruesome story below. The authorities are to be commended for their swift action. It is not excluded that more arrests will follow.

Warning: The articles’ graphic details may upset readers (FVDK)

Teen’s body parts missing, sangoma bust!

A sangoma has been arrested for the brutal murder of Modjadji Thoka, who was found mutilated.

Published: January 18, 2024
By: Daily Sun – South Africa

LIMPOPO police arrested a sangoma in connection with the brutal murder of Modjadji Thoka (18).

The sangoma (30) was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday morning, 17 January at Mokomene Village in Botlokwa, Limpopo.

Modjadji went missing on Friday, 5 January, and her mutilated body was found on Monday, 8 January, at an advanced stage of decomposition with her body parts removed.

She was found with her head, legs, hands, private parts and breasts missing.

This left villagers in shock and fuming as they wanted to know who committed the gruesome act.

Limpopo police spokesman Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said cops in Botlokwa made a breakthrough following the arrest of a 30-year-old man who is linked to the murder of Modjadji, whose body was found in the Botlokwa policing area.

“Through an intensive investigation, the suspect allegedly took the team to the place where he buried the head of Modjadji and was immediately arrested for murder,” he said.

Ledwaba said the arrest comes after police were notified about the discovery of the body of a woman at an abandoned house, and upon arrival at the scene, they found the body of the woman in an advanced state of decomposition.

“Further investigations revealed that the body was dismembered,” he said.

The suspect will appear before the Morebeng Magistrates Court soon while police investigations continue. 

Acting provincial police commissioner Major-General Jan Scheepers praised the team for ensuring that the ruthless criminal is put behind bars.

“I also commend the community for providing crucial information. We are relieved that the suspect is arrested and expect more arrests,” said Scheepers.

Source: Teen’s body parts missing, sangoma bust!

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Traditional healer leads police to where he buried the head of 18-year-old girl after butchering her

The victim, 18-year-old Modjadji Niccol Thoka

Published: January 18, 2024
By: Linda Ikeji’s Blog

The police in South Africa have made a major breakthrough following the arrest of a 30-year-old Sangoma (traditional healer) who is linked to murder of an 18-year-old girl, Modjadji Niccol Thoka.  

Thoka’s lifeless body was found on the 8 January 2024, at Mokomene, Ga-Thoka village in Botlokwa policing area, Limpopo a few days after she went missing. 

She was found with several body parts missing, including her head, breasts, both hands and legs missing. Only her torso was discovered on the scene.  The incomplete body was only recognised by a family member after residents alerted them.   

According to police spokesperson, Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, members of Provincial detectives and Botlokwa detectives activated an operation to trace and arrest the suspect. 

“In the early hours of Wednesday, 17 January 2024, the suspect was arrested at Mokomene village,” he said.  

“Through the intensive investigation the suspect allegedly took the team to the place where he buried the head of the deceased.  “He was immediately arrested for murder.

His arrest comes after Police were notified about the discovery of the lifeless body of a woman at an abandoned house.  

“Upon arrival at the scene, they found a body of the woman in an advanced state of decomposition. Further investigations, revealed that the body was dismembered,” Colonel Ledwaba added.   

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Major General Jan Scheepers has praised the Police team that ensured that this ruthless criminal is put behind bars.   

He further commended the community and Police collaboration that resulted in the providing of crucial information.  “We are now relieved that the suspect is arrested and expect more arrests,” concluded Major General Scheepers. 

The suspect will appear before Morebeng magistrate’s court soon.  The police investigations are still ongoing.

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Source: Traditional healer leads police to where he buried the head of 18-year-old girl after butchering her

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Teen (18) found with missing body parts

Published: January 11, 2024
By: Daily Sun – South Africa

THE Thoka family from the small community of Mokomene in Botlokwa, Limpopo, could not have foreseen such a terrible start to the year 2024.

Five days into the new year, Modjadji Thoka (18) went missing on Friday, 5 January. 

Panicking, the family set off in search of the teenager.

It didn’t take long for the family to find their loved one, but it wasn’t a pretty find. On Monday, 8 January, Modjadji’s body was found mutilated and dumped in the bushes.

All that was left of her body was her skull. Her breasts, two legs, both hands and genitals had been cut out.

The teenager’s body was discovered by local residents who alerted the police and the family of the deceased.

This horrific discovery, believed to be the first of its kind in the area, has sent shockwaves through the community.

Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe has appealed to the public to provide information that could assist the cops in their investigations after the body of a woman was discovered at Mokomene in Ga-Thoka Village at about 9am on Monday, 8 January.

Hadebe told Daily Sun that the police responded to a report of a woman’s body abandoned in the bushes.

“When they arrived, they realised that the woman’s body was in an advanced stage of decomposition. The identity of the deceased could not be determined as the investigation is still at an early stage,” she said.

Hadebe said the motive for the gruesome crime was yet to be established.

“Anyone with information that can assist in the investigation is asked to contact the investigating officer, Captain Ngwetsana, on 082 718 9781 or the emergency number 08600 10111, the nearest police station or the MySAPS app,” Hadebe said.

Source: Teen (18) found with missing body parts

More:

Suspect linked to murder of an 18-year-old woman in Botlokwa, nabbed following intensive investigation

Published: January 17, 2024
By: Media Statement, South African Police Service, Office of the Provincial Commissioner Limpopo

POLOKWANE – The Police in Botlokwa have made a major breakthrough today following the arrest of a 30-year-old man, also a Traditional Healer, who is linked to murder of an 18-year-old Modjadji Niccol Thoka, whose lifeless body was found on 08 January 2024 , at Mokomene, Ga-Thoka village in Botlokwa policing area.

Members of Provincial Detectives and Botlokwa Detectives activated an operation to trace and arrest the suspect. In the early hours of Wednesday, 17 January 2024, the suspect was arrested at Mokomene village. Through the intensive investigation the suspect allegedly took the team to the place where he buried the head of the deceased. He was immediately arrested for murder.

His arrest comes after Police were notified about the discovery of the lifeless body of a woman at an abandoned house. Upon arrival at the scene, they found a body of the woman in an advanced state of decomposition.

Further investigations, revealed that the body was dismembered.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Major General Jan Scheepers, has praised the Police team that ensured that this ruthless criminal is put behind bars. He further commended the community and Police collaboration that resulted in the providing of crucial information. “We are now relieved that the suspect is arrested and expect more arrests,” concluded Major General Scheepers.

The suspect will appear before Morebeng Magistrate’s Court soon.

The Police investigations are still ongoing.

Ends

Enquiries:
Colonel Malesela Ledwaba
082 451 7180

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Source: Suspect linked to murder of an 18-year-old woman in Botlokwa, nabbed following intensive investigation

More:

Botlokwa police investigate the gruesome discovery of the body of an 18-year-old woman

Published: January 10, 2024
By: Anita Nkonki – IOL, South Africa

The Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has urged community members to provide valuable information that can assist the police in the investigation following the gruesome discovery of the body of a young woman.

A female was found dead at Mokomene, Ga-Thoka Village under Botlokwa policing precinct, North West, on Monday at about 9 am.

Police received a complaint about the body of a woman at an abandoned house and rushed to the scene.

Upon arrival, they found the body of the woman in an advanced state of decomposition.

“The deceased’s identity will be released in due course as the investigation is still in its preliminary stages. The motive behind this gruesome act is not yet established.”

Source: Botlokwa police investigate the gruesome discovery of the body of an 18-year-old woman

And:

Police in Limpopo are appealing for information after a body of a woman was found at an abandoned house.
Source: Decomposing body of woman found at abandoned house in Limpopo village, January 9, 2024

More:

GRAPHIC CONTENT: Teenager’s murder shocks Limpopo community

Published: January 12, 2024
By: YouTube

Please note, that the following report contains graphic content which may upset some viewers. Some residents at Mokomene village at Botlokwa in Limpopo say they feel unsafe after the discovery of the mutilated body of an 18-year-old girl. Modjadji Thoka’s decomposed remains were found in an abandoned house. Her family reported her missing last week. Angry community members have called on the police to intensify their investigation.

Screenshot. To watch the video click here.
Warning: GRAPHIC CONTENT: Teenager’s murder shocks Limpopo community

Source: YouTube – GRAPHIC CONTENT: Teenager’s murder shocks Limpopo community

Limpopo Province, South Africa

Zimbabwe grapples with ritual murders

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Murder cases show a rising trend in Zimbabwe, according to statistics released by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency. In 2018 more than 1,450 murders were reported, this number increased to more than 1,700 cases in 2019 and to nearly 3,600 cases in the two-year period between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021. The yearly average of 1,500-1,600 murder cases means that each month more than 100 persons are being murdered.

It is not known how many ritualistic murders (‘muti murders’) are included in this yearly average of 1,500 – 1,600 victims. Statistics only reveal part of the truth. By definition, ‘muti murders’ are murders committed in secret, and some victims (statistically recorded as ‘missing persons’) are never found. Only discovered bodies of victims with ‘parts’ (often organs) missing indicate that a murder for ritualistic purposes has been committed, but even then one has to be careful and not jump to conclusions as the perpetrator(s) may intentionally mislead the investigators by removing body parts.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the occurrence of ritual murders constitutes a problem in this Southern Africa country (as it does in neighboring countries). Recently, a debate on the persistent problem of muti murders arose after the discovery of a mutilated body in Greystone Parts, near Hatfield, in Mashonaland East and southeast of the capital Harare.

In the article presented below also reference is made to the notorious Tapiwah Makore case, referring to the seven-year old boy who was murdered for ritualistic purposes by his uncle in 2020 (see previous posts). But, as the article relates, Tapiwah Makoreh (also spelled as Tapiwa Makore) was not the only or last victim of unscrupulous murderers who are driven by greed and superstition. Unfortunately, the discovery of the dead body of Faith Musonza in Greystone Park only confirms this sad conclusion. (webmaster FVDK)

Zimbabwe grapples with ritual murders

Some people blame witch doctors for rising cases of ritual murders

Published: February 26, 2023
By: Staff reporter – The Zimbabwe Mail

IT is late afternoon in the heart of Greystone Park, some 20 kilometres from Hatfield, where the gruesome murder of Spar employee Faith Musonza is said to have occurred.

A relative’s home in Greystone Park is where her funeral is taking place.

A gentle breeze steadily blows across the yard as if everything is normal, but this is not the case.

Mourners have been stunned into silence as they struggle to come to terms with the sad news of Musonza’s untimely death.

“We are still trying to process everything; it feels like a dream,” said one of the relatives who appeared non-plussed at the funeral wake.

Musonza’s husband, Fradreck Chasara, was visibly disturbed, as he unsteadily alternated between a black leather couch and the carpeted floor.

Musonza was recently killed in Hatfield by unknown assailants as she headed to her rented house in Cranborne from work.

Her mutilated body was found dumped in a storm drain. Heinous crimes involving grisly murders have become prevalent of late. The sanctity of human life is no longer being observed.

In 2020, the nation woke up to news of the callous murder of seven-year-old Tapiwa Makore in a suspected ritual killing.

He was buried the following year, with his head still missing. The incident left many with a lot of unanswered questions.

Last year, in Nyanga, two related seven-year-olds were found dead in a disused house in the village, with their throats cut open and blood drained.

Several other murder cases have been reported across the country.

According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, the number of murder cases continue to rise with each passing year. At least 1 453 cases were recorded in 2018, before rising to 1 733 the following year. Between January 2020 and December 2021, 3 583 cases were recorded.

Overall, the cases averaged between 1 500 and 1 600 every year.

“A murder case is recorded every week; in some situations, even two or more, with the trend growing in all provinces,” said Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi.

Most of the killings, he said, are associated with infidelity, alcohol abuse and rituals. Statistics from the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) also corroborate the same trend.

“In January 2021, we had 630 people incarcerated for murder and the figure rose to 845 by October that same year.

“In January 2022, we had 817 and the figure stood at 984 by November,” said ZPCS.

Mental health issues

Psychologist and University of Johannesburg post-doctoral researcher Dr John Ringson believes most murders are caused by mental health issues.

“When one is mentally unstable, even a small argument can trigger aggression. We have had cases of people who committed murder for beer or small amounts of money. Mental health issues need to be addressed at national level,” he said.

Drugs and substance abuse, he added, were also causing mental health challenges that push people to commit crimes.

Traditionalist Mbuya Calista Magorimbo says some bogus witch doctors who encourage harvesting of body parts for rituals (kuromba) to boost business fortunes are also causing the unnecessary loss of human lives.

“Ritual killings for purposes of becoming wealthy have existed since time immemorial. However, the situation has since gone out of hand due to prevailing economic hardships,” she said.

“Some even harvest body parts for charms to make them powerful at work or to get healed from certain ailments. Women and children are often murder targets.”

She, however, argues that such rituals have never been proved to be effective.

“This is pure cultism, which yields nothing but generational curses, yet some people believe it actually works. Murder only brings trouble!” she warned.

Killings only attract avenging spirits and generational curses, according to Sekuru Peter Maponda, which he believes only serve to perpetuate a vicious circle of crime and murder. Roman Catholic priest Father Paul Mayeresa says avenging spirits exist.

“The Bible values the sanctity of life and does not allow killing under any circumstances. Some murders are due to either temporary or permanent insanity, while others are premeditated revenge,” he said.

“Avenging spirits exist and depending on the relatives of the deceased and their spirituality, some families end up forgiving the perpetrators while others prefer to let the dead fight from the grave.”

House of Refuge International Ministries founder Apostle Partson Machengete is of the opinion that “poverty has left most people desperate to get rich overnight”.

“As a result, they are forced to believe myths that ostensibly offer solutions to their problems. Witch doctors are fleecing the vulnerable and pushing them into unholy acts. They are made to believe the rituals will make them rich.”

He, however, feels some murder cases are genuine accidents and, in some instances, a result of self-defence.

Remedy

There is consensus that communities need to be sensitised on the need to observe the sanctity of human life.

“We need all stakeholders to come together and formulate programmes that educate the community on the issues and bridge existing gaps,” urges Laws of Attraction psychologist Blessed Chinyangare.

“There is a human element and a spiritual element to this issue, hence it has to be tackled from both ends.”

Headman Zvinowanda Pfumbidzai of Machera village in Hwedza said in murder cases, the funerals and burials should be different from ordinary ones.

In African tradition, he said, murder invites curses for both the victim and the perpetrator’s families, hence rituals become necessary to cleanse the parties involved.

“Traditionally, the wronged family conducts rituals — kureverera — to provoke the spirit of the deceased to go and get revenge, so, in return, the murderer should pay damages — kuripa.

“The victim’s family should be given room to indicate their price during the process. Likewise, the victim’s family should also conduct a cleansing ceremony,” he said.

Meanwhile, in neighbouring South Africa, murder cases reportedly increased by 22 percent since 2012.

Most of the killings usually occur between Friday and Sunday.

The South African Police Service has since deployed desk-based police officers to the streets, particularly in identified hotspots, while dedicated detectives track and arrest suspects wanted for violent crimes. – Sunday Mail

Source: Zimbabwe grapples with ritual murders

Bauchi State, Nigeria: police arrest 3 in connection with removing boy’s eyes for suspected ritual

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Warning: The following may upset the reader because of its graphic contents.

Yesterday I posted an article on the cruel attack on a 3 year old baby boy who became blind for the rest of his life as a result of the unscrupulous act of his cousin who gouged out his eyes for ritualistic purposes. The gory and cruel crime happened in East Africa, in Kenya.

The case presented below happened in Nigeria, West Africa, in June of this year. A similar horror story as what happened in Kenya. The reader is warned that the article contains a graphic description of the crime. It’s good that police has arrested three suspects. Nevertheless, the question remains: what makes people do such cruel acts? Are these people insane or just unscrupulous in their unstoppable desire for wealth and/or power based on superstition and fed by witchdoctors?
(webmaster FVDK)

Nigeria, Bauchi State:
Police arrest 3 in connection with removing boy’s eyes for suspected ritual

Published: June 27, 2022
By: Paul Orude, The Sun, Nigeria

Three suspects have been arrested by the Bauchi State Command for allegedly gouging out the eyes of a boy.

The Commissioner of Police Umar Sanda, disclosed this while parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Bauchi.

Sanda reassured of the public of the Command’s commitment to bursting ritualists and other criminal activities and urged residents to be supportive.

He explained that the command has made adequate use of intelligence gathering to arrest the three suspects in connection with plucking out of the eye of the boy.

He said the arrest was in response to the case of a suspected ritualist who plucked the eye of the minor.

The terrifying incident occurred in the Jira Mountain Yelwa area of Bauchi Metropolitan.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, the suspect Isaac Ezekiel ‘m’ 32yrs of Rafin Zurfi Yelwa Bauchi Metropolitan had been arrested, where he voluntarily confessed to the unfortunate crime.

A prompt search of his house by the Police led to the recovery of Uzairu Salisu’s eyeballs, Wakil disclosed in a statement.

Wakil said the exhibit recovered from the suspects included the two human eyeballs in a calabash,cable wire used in perpetrating the heinous act and a travelling bag containing some native medicine.

He said suspects arrested in connection to the crime are Isaac Ezekiel ‘M’ 32yr-old of Rafin Zurfi Yelwa Bauchi Metropolitan, Nensok Bawa ‘M’ 38yr-old of Kabwir District Kanke Local Government Area Plateau State and Yohana Luka (AKA Doctor Samu) 52yr-old of Golbong Village Amper District in Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State.

“Findings reveal that in April 2022, Principal Suspect Isaac Ezekiel conspired with the two suspects above to conceive the idea to commit the atrocity of getting the eyeballs of a human being,” he said.

“On 24th June 2022 at about 0900hrs the principal suspect Isaac Ezekiel lured one Uzairu Salisu ‘M’ 16yr of Jahun Bauchi Metropolitan into a nearby Bush for a casual job on his farm, the Isaac Ezekiel used a cable wire to strangulate Uzairu Salisu into a coma and use a knife to remove the two eyes for a ritual purpose.

“Investigation is in progress, after which the suspects will be charged to court.

“The task has not been an easy one, but in line with our constitutional mandate, we shall remain fierce, tireless, and relentless in committing ourselves to the safety and security of lives and property of the people of Bauchi state and the country at large.”

Source: Bauchi: Police arrest 3 in connection with removing boy’s eyes for suspected ritual

Uganda: why human sacrifices still thrive in Kayunga District

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Many of my postings on this site refer to reported or suspected ritual murder cases in West Africa. However, this phenomenon dating from ancient times also exists in other regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Superstition and the greed for power, wealth or good health constitute the main driving forces behind the crimes of ritual murder, human sacrifice and/or ritual cannibalism.

In East Africa ritualistic murders are rife in Uganda. As mentioned below, according to the 2013 Child Sacrifice and Mutilations Report, one child is killed for rituals every week. A mind blowing statistic. Within Uganda the Kayunga District has earned the dubious reputation of being one of the most notorious killing places. Read the breath taking article below; the reader is warned as it contains graphic details.

Uganda is one of an increasing number of SSA countries where human sacrifice and ritualistic murders have become crimes which carry the death penalty. Many countries and international initiatives have outlawed the capital punishment, but several African countries take a different course, notably to contain and/or eradicate ritual murders. The big question is whether the death penalty, which is not always executed, will bring us closer to a society where people no longer fear falling victim to ritual killers. Or should we look for another approach the eradicate this scourge of ignorance and superstition?

PS For an interesting plea to abolish the death penalty the reader is invited to read the following article: ‘Death of Death Penalty in Ghana‘ or click here.
(webmaster FVDK)

Why human sacrifices still thrive in Kayunga

A suspect digs up a place where he claimed to have buried a child in Kayunga District last year. PHOTO/FRED MUZAALE

Published: November 11, 2022
By: Fred Muzaale – Monitor, Uganda

What you need to know:

  • Police say most victims of human sacrifices are children because they are easier to abduct and seen as “pure” and of “higher ritual value.”
  • Last year, President Museveni passed the Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Bill 2021, which criminalises the act of human sacrifice.

————————————————————————————————————–

On a hot Monday afternoon at Kayunga Court premises in Kayunga District, Allan Ssembatya walks with his head lowered. 

Visibly not in a good mood, he is in the company of a man and a woman. The two grown-ups are his mother and father.

The 19-year-old Ssembatya’s forehead bares a big scar that he sustained after he was cut with a machete by two men during an attempted ritual murder incident in 2009. He was by then 6 years old.
Fortunately, Ssembatya, now in Senior One, survived, but lost both of his testicles. Because of the cut inflicted on his head, he now has persistent headaches and nightmares.

A resident of Busolo Village in Kayunga Sub-county, Ssembatya spent one month in a coma after the incident.

“Doctors who examined him after the attack said he would not be able to bear children. This is purely a case of human sacrifice,” Ms Sarah Tumusiime, the Kayunga Chief Magistrate, revealed during a court session last month.

She sentenced the convicts; Paul Ngaswireki and Awali Kivumbi, both residents of Busolo Village, who were found guilty of committing the offence, to 40 years each in prison.

According to Ssembatya’s father, his son was attacked by the two men when he had gone to the garden to harvest a jackfruit. He was later left fighting for his life in a forest.

Ssembatya’s case is the latest among such incidents, but Kayunga District has had numerous human sacrifice-related incidents.

In March 2020, a 60-year-old man in Kakoola Village, Kitimbwa Sub-county, was beheaded and his head taken by unknown assailants.

The torso was later recovered from a bush. Two witch doctors were arrested in connection with this incident although the whereabouts of the human skull is still unknown.

Additionally, a traditional healer in Kisoga Village, Nazigo Sub-county, was arrested in 2018 after five bodies were found buried in his shrine. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mukono High Court.

Last year, a father in Bbaale Sub-county was arrested after he allegedly killed two of his children over ritual sacrifice. He confessed to the act claiming he was promised Shs2m.

Ms Beatrice Ajwang, the Kayunga District officer-in-charge of the Criminal Investigations Department, said most of the suspects arrested in connection with such acts are “traditional healers and people who want to get rich quickly”.

Ms Ajwang said most victims of human sacrifices are children, apparently because they are easier to abduct and seen as “pure” and of “higher ritual value.”

Without disclosing statistical figures of how many cases of human sacrifice had been recorded in the district, Ms Ajwang confirms that “Kayunga is a hotbed of ritual sacrifice”.

She said out of more than 300 traditional healers operating in the district, their preliminary investigations reveal that half of the number are quacks.

“Kayunga is a unique area, you will find many households having shrines on top of being multi-ethnic. This could be a major contributor to these acts,” Kayunga chairperson Andrew Muwonge said.

Ms Ajwang said despite enacting laws to crack down on those engaging in human sacrifices, the practice has continued.

The law
Last year, President Museveni passed  the Prevention and Prohibition of Human Sacrifice Bill 2021, which criminalises the act of human sacrifice.

The legislation was moved as a private member’s Bill by former Ayivu County legislator Bernard Atiku with the intent of addressing the growing vice of human sacrifice.

According to the new law, any person who mutilates or causes the death of another person for the purpose of performing or furthering a ritual commits an offence and will be punished by the death penalty upon conviction.

“Worse still, it is a big challenge investigating human sacrifice cases because on some occasions it is carried out by parents themselves on their children while in some other cases people are not willing to give information that could be of help to arrest and prosecute offenders,” Ms Ajwanga said, adding: “We appeal to religious leaders to help us instill morals in our people. As police, we have tried to sensitise them against this vice.’’

Ms Sylvia Namutebi, aka Maama Fiina, the national chairperson of Uganda Traditional Healer’s Association, dismisses claims that the acts are committed by people who practice her trade.

“No genuine traditional healer can sacrifice a human being. These are masqueraders hiding in our job. It is our duty to ensure we [genuine healers] weed out such bad people,” Ms Namutebi said.

She said with the help of genuine healers, they have arrested and prosecuted such ‘wrong elements’, noting that she is on a country-wide tour to sensitise traditional healers on professional ethics.

Mr Peter Mawerere, the Kayunga deputy Resident District Commissioner, blamed the vice on ignorance, greed, and poverty. He noted that many people sacrifice human beings because they think it will make them wealthier.

“It is surprising that many people go to traditional healers when they fall sick, even when their ailments can be treated by qualified medical personnel,” he said.

“We have tasked the leadership of traditional healers to fight the acts, which we highly believe are perpetuated by some of their members,” he added.

Rev Fr Maurice Kigoye, the parish priest of Kangulumira Parish in Kangulumira Sub-county,  said: “It [human sacrifice] is really an inhuman act. How can you think that when you kill a person and drink their blood, you can get rich? As religious leaders, we have tried to lure them [culprits] to turn to God and get saved,” Fr Kigoye said.

NGO role
Mr Peter Sewakiryanga, the executive director of Kyampisi Child Care Ministries (KCM), said his organisation receives a number of human sacrifice cases from Kayunga District every month.

“We work with probation officers, police, and other agencies who bring to our attention such cases,” he said.

Mr Sewakiryanga added that in a bid to ensure the culprits are arrested and prosecuted, his organisation facilitates investigations carried out by police officers.

“Many such cases die at the investigation stage, but with our support, a number of the suspects have been prosecuted and convicted like the recent one of Ssembatya. Court sentenced the convicts to 40 years each in jail,” he said.

He explains that KCM also offers treatment, counselling, and psychosocial support to survivors of ritual sacrifice.

“We have in some cases relocated families of the victims for their safety, built them houses and offered education to survivors,” Mr Sewakiryanga said.

2013 report

According to the 2013 Child Sacrifice and Mutilations Report, one child is killed for rituals every week.

The report indicates that people carry out human sacrifices to seek wealth, among others. 

Source: Why human sacrifices still thrive in Kayunga

Uganda: two witchdoctors arrested over child sacrifice in Mbale

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Perpetrators of human sacrifices in Uganda face severe punishments including the death penalty when found guilty of ritual murder. This does not scare certain individuals to engage in this cruel, gruesome and criminal practice, as the article below demonstrates. (webmaster FVDK).

The Daily Monitor and Daily Monitor Yahudu Kitunzi are to be commended for paying attention to this news.

Two witchdoctors arrested over child sacrifice in Mbale

One of the suspects who confessed to the ritual murder sits on a police truck after leading detectives to the crime scene in Sisye Cell, Namatala Ward in Mbale City on September 1, 2022. PHOTO/YAHUDU KITUNZI

Published: September 1, 2022
By: Yahudu Kitunzi, reporter Daily Monitor

What you need to know:

  • A detained suspect who led police to the crime scene on Thursday morning told detectives that “they killed the child for sacrifice.”

Police in Mbale City have arrested two witchdoctors who confessed involvement in the sacrifice of a five-year old boy who disappeared three weeks ago.

One of the two suspects leads police to the crime scene in Sisye Cell, Namatala Ward in Mbale City on September 1, 2022. PHOTO/YAHUDU KITUNZI

With some parts missing, the body of Rajibu Nasamba was Wednesday evening found buried in a sugarcane plantation along Kabwagasi Road in Namatala Ward, Northern Mbale City Division.

“The deceased disappeared and his parents reported the case of disappearance to police. We have arrested two suspects to help with investigations,” Elgon region Police Spokesperson, Mr Rogers Taitika confirmed.

He identified the suspects as Jamadah Isiko and Ibrahim Isiko, who are brothers and residents of Kiduda Cell in Namatala Ward in Mbale Industrial City Division.

Detained Isiko who led police to the crime scene on Thursday morning told detectives that “they killed the child for sacrifice.”

 “It’s my brother who beheaded the boy and brought the body in the sugar cane for traditional rituals,” he said.

A police detective at the crime scene in Sisye Cell, Namatala Ward in Mbale City on September 1, 2022. PHOTO/YAHUDU KITUNZI

Preliminary police investigations indicate that the duo are also connected to the alleged sacrifice of a son to Mr Lukman Musamba.

Namatala ward resident Musamba said his son disappeared from home under unclear circumstances.

“I reported the disappearance of my son at Namatala police stations and I also placed radio announcements but in vain,” Mr Musamba, said.

Ms Mariam Mwiza, the Anti Human trafficking Activist, asked police to take the cases serious.

“The suspects shouldn’t be given a bond and thorough investigations should be conducted by police,” Ms Mwiza emphasized.

Mr Taitika disclosed that the suspects currently detained at Mbale central police station will be prosecuted but also cautioned parents to protect their children.

Human sacrifice in Uganda attracts severe punishments that may include life in jail or death.

Source: Two witchdoctors arrested over child sacrifice in Mbale