News

UK: East Lancs woman in walk to help Nigerian ‘witchcraft’ children

A grandma from Clitheroe is to recreate the route the Pendle witches travelled to their trial at Lancaster Jail in support of children who are accused of witchcraft in Nigeria.

Sue Reddin, of Low Moor, is eager to rally support for the charity Stepping Stones Nigeria, which offers help for children who are accused of witchcraft and then abused, abandoned or beaten… She plans to set up a permanent fundraising group to support children who are accused of witchcraft in the African country.

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USA: Man Gets 50 Years for Murder, Claims Victim Practiced Witchcraft on Him

An East Texas man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the 2012 murder of his ex-girlfriend… Jose Diaz Perez, 51, was found guilty for murdering Caselin Ramirez on March 17, 2012. Officials tell KETK the couple had separated two weeks prior to the murder. Ramirez reportedly left Perez due to his excessive drinking and controlling behavior.

Perez showed up just after 1:00 a.m., and shot at Ramirez three times while he was in his truck… Perez said her shot Ramirez, by because she first attacked him and practiced witchcraft on him, as well.

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Mauritius: 1,500 signatures collected in a petition against the practices of witchcraft on the island

The Mauritian association, Markaz Al Farouk, who has campaigned actively for a few weeks on the ground against the recurrent practice of witchcraft in Mauritius on the part of the longanis, has already collected some 1,500 signatures of support to his petition to strengthen in particular the criminal penalties. 
  
This document subject to the approval of the population wants the crime of witchcraft to be more severely punished on the island at height of fined 50,000 rupees  and 5 years ‘ imprisonment. 

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Papau New Guinea: Mythbusting – Women and Witchcraft

Violence against those branded as witches is particularly prevalent in Papua New Guinea, where “[the practice] is so widespread and of such a magnitude, it may be compared with the reported efflorescence of witchcraft throughout Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries, and Africa in the 19th” (Lindenbaum 119-128).

Not only is this problem pervasive, but it does not appear to be abating. Experts and government officials are at a loss to explain this upsurge in violence. Some point out the incredible ethnolinguistic diversity of the country.

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Nigeria: Child Abuse in Nigeria

In recent years, our home; Akwa Ibom State, in Southern Nigeria, has witnessed dangerous rising trends of diabolical child abuse practices where innocent and defenseless children are accused of witchcraft and subsequently labeled ‘child witches’ by self proclaimed prophets in “spiritual” churches, parents, as well as adult relatives, in their local communities.

Once these churches accuse a child of witchcraft, such a child is subjected to varying forms of physical torture and extreme inhumane treatment under the guise of witchcraft exorcism. In many cases, children exposed to these dangerous rituals are maimed for life. In other cases, the children are out rightly murdered. 

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Kenya: Kilifi MCA Proposal to Stop Killing of ‘Witches’

A Kilifi ward representative has tabled a motion in the county assembly seeking to end the killing of people alleged to be witches. Sokoke MCA Teddy Mwambire said the motion was seconded yesterday and will soon be discussed.

He said many people suspected to be witches have been killed in unclear cirumstances. “The county records high number of murder cases alongside other forms of deaths that many people believe are as a result of being bewitched,” Mwambire said.

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Namibia: Onayena muti killing claims dismissed

The police at Onayena settlement in the Oshikoto Region have rubbished allegations of ritual killings in the area.
This follows claims by community members that several bodies in the area have been discovered without private parts.

Onayena station commander Sergeant Nathaniel Haiyaka said in the eight years that he has been stationed at Onayena, the police have never recovered a body without private parts, which may have been removed for the purpose of witchcraft.

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USA: Syracuse man confesses to murdering 3-year-old son: ‘I wanted to kill the Shatan’

Marcell Washington put his 3-year-old son into a cold shower and demanded to know if the young boy worshiped only God.

When Ameen said “no,” Washington forced open the boy’s eyes so water could fill them.

“I did this because I wanted to kill the Shatan that I believed was in my son,” Washington explained later. “I thought by killing a portion of Ameen, it would kill the Shatan in him.”

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Nigeria: Man beheads toddler for rituals

A Minna Magistrate Court has ordered a 24 year old farmer, Danladi Abubakar be remanded in prison for allegedly beheading 11-month old baby for rituals.

Abubakar … was alleged to have sneaked into the room of father of the baby, Malam Mohammed Worogi and stole the tot before beheading and severing the private parts of the child for rituals.

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Papua New Guinea: Woman Accused of Witchcraft Burnt Alive

A woman accused of witchcraft has been burned alive in front of hundreds of witnesses in Papua New Guinea.

The brutal slaying of 20-year-old mother-of-one Kepari Leniata on Wednesday has been condemned by the nation’s prime minister, police and diplomatic observers.

She was stripped naked by several assailants, tortured with a hot iron rod, bound, doused in petrol, then set alight on a pile of car tyres and rubbish in the Western Highlands provincial capital of Mount Hagen, police spokesman Dominic Kakas said.

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