News

India: Assam police officer campaigns against a social evil

Determined to end a social evil that still haunts rural and backward areas of Assam, a police officer’s initiative and perseverance has resulted in raising awareness about the scourge of witchcraft that is often used bizarrely to settle personal scores and land disputes in villages.

With some 100 cases registered in the past five years due to the initiative called Project Prahari (guard), the “deterrence factor” may have resulted in increased vigilance but actual arrest of the culprits have been few due to the absence of witnesses, the prime mover behind the project said.

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Zimbabwe: Witchcraft scare, woman to take the serpents to Beitbridge for rituals

Miriam Ndlovu, the owner of the Lobengula house where two huge snakes were found on Friday, in what is suspected to be an act of witchcraft, says she wants to take the serpents to Beitbridge, her rural home to perform a ritual to “catch who ever sent the snakes to her.” 

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USA: Former W Hotel employee accused of practicing Voodoo and witchcraft sues

A former employee of a hotel chain alleges she was fired after co-workers started slanderous rumors about her being involved in witchcraft and Voodoo. Marie T. Hall filed suit against W Hotels, an affiliate of Starwood Hotels and Resorts WorldWide in the Orleans Parish Civil Court.

The plaintiff claims shortly before her termination, employees spread rumors about Hall being much older than she looks and that she is a practitioner of evil witchcraft. Hall is of Haitian descent and believes these rumors linked her to discriminatory narratives of Voodoo.

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Nigeria: Native Doctor’s Charm Kills Pastor, One Other Accused of Witchcraft

An unholy alliance between a family and a native doctor has allegedly claimed the lives of two people in Zwall village of Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The family of Adamu Goni and a native doctor (names withheld) agreed to administer charms on four members of the family, including a pastor, over their alleged involvement in witchcraft.

The family, it was learnt, had been worried over calamities befalling its members, so it sought solutions from a native doctor.

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Uganda: Can witchcraft fail service delivery?

Early last year, a relieved Samuel Bamuzibire handed over command of Luweero to Godfrey Ninsiima, the then new district police commander.

In his speech, Bamuzibire warned his successor that, among other things, he ought to watch out for witchcraft, which he said had given him the hardest time over his three-year tenure.

Bamuzibire said he had fought drug abuse, theft and burglary but he was on the verge of admitting defeat with regard to witchcraft.

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Uganda: Papal Nuncio Archbishop Blume cautions parents

The Papal Nuncio to Uganda, Archbishop Michael Blume has cautioned parents to tighten protection of their children in all ways and at all times as a means of fighting child sacrifice that is on the rise.

“Of late, human sacrifice, particularly of children for ritual purposes has become a common feature on all media channels which is quite appalling and regrettable. However, the greatest responsibility for the protection of the innocent and helpless creatures of God should lie with the parents of the children for they are the most vulnerable as far as the vice is concerned,” the envoy said.

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India: I’ve been terribly affected by witch hunt killings for years: Rajani Basumatary

Mumbai-based Boro filmmaker Rajani Basumatary talks about her directorial debut, ‘Raag’, her dream project and her plans with Rashmi Sarmah.

“Witch hunting is a major social problem in tribal societies of the northeast. Not just illiterate villagers, such superstitions are supported even by educated people. Sadly, there have been instances where even church Reverends have encouraged villagers to kill in the name of ‘witch’ hunting. As soon as I find financers, I will take this film to small villages across the region. Using a projector, I want to show the film and create awareness. Witch hunting can never be justified.”

Read more of the interview here

Kenya: Mourners torch house of ‘witch’

A funeral in Kimathi location, Murang’a was disrupted on Saturday after mourners engaged police in running battles.

 The mourners accused Wanjiru Manyeki of practising witchcraft and that her son killed the deceased, Peter Chomba. The hearse allegedly stalled near Manyeki’s house.

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Kenya: Clergy’s wife and daughter caught night-running at a school

Villagers in Keroka, Kisii County were shell-shocked a fortnight ago after they caught a wife and daughter to a pastor dancing naked in the dead of the night at a school compound.

On this particular night, the watchman was doing routine patrols and heard strange noises emanating from a secluded section of the school compound. When he went to find out, much to his shock, he saw silhouettes of two people dancing and gyrating their waists wildly.

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Kenya: Kaya elders say they are tired of heinous murders on witchcraft suspicion

Kaya elders in Kilifi county say they have had enough and will not stand more deaths. The elders who staged demonstrations in the area are calling on the government to protect them from heinous murders carried out against them on suspicion of practicing witchcraft.

Watch a news report here