Every month in Papua New Guinea, stories emerge of people being put to death, accused of being sorcerers. The belief in witchcraft is deeply embedded in the country’s culture and tackling is proving a tough problem for PNG’s law-makers. Read more here
An official in Bahrain has demanded that his government take steps to warn its citizens about the dangers of witchcraft and crack down on its practice. Read more here
On December 15, Gabon is having municipal elections. Once more, ritual killings of children and others are being used by politicians who hope to increase their luck before elections. There is someone found dead and mutilated somewhere in Gabon every 1 to 2 days. The killing of young Catherine, 4 years old, in late October 2013 reminded us of the brutality of ritual crimes against children.The phenomenon has increased dramatically since President Ali Bongo’s fraudulent elections in 2009. Read more here
The Valiv police arrested a tantrik and five men, who allegedly performed human sacrifice by beheading a woman last month. The men were arrested Friday, the same day when the state Assembly passed the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Bill, during the winter session at Nagpur. Read more here
PLUMTREE – In a spine-chilling incident, two men belonging to a Matobo family in Matabeleland South have been arrested with their female neighbour for allegedly poisoning their six-year-old niece for ritual purposes. Read more here
An 81-year-old Murehwa man was fatally assaulted by two fellow villagers on Saturday on allegations of practising witchcraft. Acting Mashonaland East Provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Norbert Muzondo confirmed the incident yesterday.He said police had arrested Never Chikurunhe (52) and Shorishi Miranza (22) in connection with the alleged murder. Read more here
Minister reports details of 2013 witchcraft cases in Assam here
Pretoria – A Soshanguve man sentenced to life imprisonment two years ago for his part in the gruesome murder of 10-year-old Masego Kgomo got a lifeline when the Pretoria High Court granted him leave to appeal against his conviction and sentence. Read more here
Groups of women in southern Nigeria have been protesting in front of government offices in Enugu State against the killing of women through “fetish activities” and forced marriages to traditional gods.Read more here
RAIPUR: Even as the country was paying tributes to Nirbhaya, another woman was allegedly gang-raped in public at a village in Janjgir-Champa district on Sunday night. The survivor, who belongs to a scheduled caste family, was dragged out of her residence by her hair, by a group of 18-20 people including women, beaten and gang-raped by the men who also tagged her ‘tonhi’— woman who practiced black magic (witchcraft). Read more here
