A man believed to be in his early 50s has been subjected to ‘Sassywood’ in Sinoe County after he was accused of witchcraft.
Sassywood, despite being barred, is a form of trial by ordeal still in use in some parts of Liberia.
There are various types of ordeal, but the principal ones involve the drinking of a poisonous concoction made of the bark of Erythrophleum suaveolens tree (toxic); the rubbing of a red-hot machete on the legs of the suspect.
The third form involves dipping the suspect’s hand into hot or rubbing poisonous and itchy leaves all over the accused person’s body.
In a disturbing video circulating on social media in Liberia, two men, wearing rain boots are seen performing all forms of torture against the man as he cried out for help.
One of the men tramped on his leg as he cried “Don’t step on the sore. I will die. I am dying.” The other used the boots and stepped on his neck.
He was placed in what looks like a town square, stripped naked, and beaten with cane and eddoes’ leaves as the crowd looks on. His torturers, repeatedly calling him AB, demanded him to confess to his alleged crimes.
The story
There have been conflicting reports concerning the incident. According to the County Attorney of Sinoe, Cllr. Daniel Dweh, the incident occurred in May this year, but he only learned about it three days ago. Cllr. Dweh said they have not been able to make any arrest because the area it happened is a hard-to-reach terrain.
He also said they have not been able to locate the victim, but received reports that he is in a place called Government Camp in Sinoe where they have dispatched people to locate him.
Another report claimed that he was accused by traditional witch doctors of being responsible for the deaths of two people, as well the disappearance of a teenager.
Sassywood – Banned But Practiced
In October 2009, the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of internal Affairs announced the banned sassywood after the deaths of seven people accused of witchcraft in River Gee County. However, enforcing the ban has been difficult, as some of these areas it occurred are inaccessible and lack of police and other law enforcement officers.
In June 2020, a woman in Gaye Town, Gbarzon Statutory District in Grand Gedeh County died after she voluntarily took a ‘sassywood’ to prove her innocence of allegations that she has been involved with witchcraft activities and had orchestrated the death of several people.
Sarah Togba, according to reports published by FrontPageAfrica, was accused along with 13 others of being responsible for the death of one Zean Lolee Sayee in that same year.
Togba collapsed and died after taking the local concoctions made from the bark of the Erythrophleum suaveolens tree, a very toxic substance also used in arrow poisons.
The ritualists believe that the Sassywood ritual drink can help determine if an accused person is guilty or innocent. It certifies if a person is a witch or not. The belief is that an accused person, who takes the concoction, lives if he or she is innocent. But if the person dies, then he/she is guilty.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and the National Council of Chief and Elders (NACCEL) headed by Chief Zanzan Karwor regulate these traditional leaders and their activities.
So far, there has been official comments from the traditional council of Liberia and the Internal Affairs about latest torturing in Sinoe County.
Comments are closed.