Residents have gone on the rampage in a so-called ‘witch-hunt’ in the south western Cameroonian town of Buéa. The rioters destroyed homes and burnt cars in the city’s neighbourhood of Tolé, accusing the district’s residents of being witches and members of a ‘cult’ that they say is behind several recent deaths. Read more here
Last week was awash with news reports of the involvement of the church’s General Overseer, Ofuche Ukoha aka Dr. Sign Fireman, in an alleged rape and killing of a 12-year-old girl in Badagry. Mr. Ukoha had been in police custody since last Tuesday; but was released on bail on Saturday. Read more here
Eating grass according to Pastor Lesego Daniel, brings you closer to God. He argued that humans can eat anything to feed their bodies and survive on whatever they chose to eat. Lesego ordered his congregation to get on their knees and start munching the lush green grass telling them that it heals ailments. And so they went, women and men, kids and the elderly took to the ground, feasting on grass like their lives depended on it. Read more here
As incidents of women facing inhuman treatment and physical torture on the charge of practicing witchcraft continues unabated across the country, a conference of women rights activists underscored the need for endorsing the proposed anti-witchcraft bill at the earliest possible time. Read more here
Three persons were arrested for the murder of a woman from Birkera-Pahartoli village under Raidih police station. With this, police cracked the case of murder of Butel Devi, killed allegedly for practising witchcraft. Read more here
The practice of witchcraft is illegal and can have the one using charms to harm others cooling his or her sorcery heels in jail for 10 years. Even falsely accusing another of witchery attracts a Sh500,000 fine if found guilty or cooling government porridge in the slammer for five years. Read more here
The Higher Education Transformation Network (HETN), acting on behalf of its alumni membership, hereby condemns the continued irresponsible journalism practices perpetrated by the Daily Sun, a publication within the Media 24 Naspers Group. It is the opinion of the Network that the Daily Sun’s irresponsible reporting propagates barbaric conduct amongst poor communities and propagates continued superstition and witchcraft beliefs by poor communities against women, the elderly, violence against African immigrants, animal cruelty whilst legitimizing mob justice and preying on impoverished communities’ frustrations and fears. Read more here
Noaz Deshe, the son of Israeli producer Avraham Deshe, musician and visual artist, went to Dar Es Salaam in 2010 to teach a short filmmaking class. While there he learned of the shocking underground trade in albino body parts, which witch doctors promote as having healing capabilities. With poverty rampant, albinos living in certain areas go through life with a bullseye on their back, never sure when they will be captured and killed. This article is a review of Deshe’s first film “White Shadow”, which follows the life of a young albino. Read more here
