-Both the old lady and son are seeking Justice
Despite being officially banned in Liberia, “Sassywood” and other forms of torture are still being practiced around the country.
Reports from Liberia’s
southeastern Grand Kru County say, a 72-year-old women and her son who were
allegedly torture on suspicion of being involved in witchcraft activities, are
calling for justice.
According to the 72 years old Survivor, Madam Susannah Quire, they were
physically assaulted in various forms, resulting into injuries in a Patty
electoral district #1.
She said this happened
after one of their family member (Welka Wallace) complained them, after falling
to the ground while cleaning his farmland. He consulted a traditional herbalist
in the area that preformed ordeal and blamed she and son Victor Wallace of
being responsible for what happened to him on his farm in Patty electoral
district #1.
Patty is a coastal community located in Trehn Statutory, about 50km from the
provincial Capital of Barclayville, Grand Kru County.
An act of torture is considered trial by ordeal and is deemed to be a human rights violation under the Liberian constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
Under the law is
defined as ” ‘torture’ means any act by which severe pain and suffering,
whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such
purposes as obtaining from him/her or a third person information or a confession,
punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected to
have committed…”
The Survivors explained that the Sasswood administered to them by the country
doctor demanded them to place their respective hands in a very hot oil that
burn them to prove that they did committed the act.
She told narrated that at the Garraway Clinic on Monday July 15, 2019 after
conduct of the ordeal they were handed over to the town people and they were
later turned over to members of the secret society and Maltreated sustaining
major injuries on their bodies.
Madam Susannah Quire revealed that they was rescued from the hands of
traditional people through the intervention of the district authority.
She noted that due to their critical condition the local authority of Trehn
Statutory district they were admitted to the Garraway Clinic on July 11,
2019 for medical treatment.
The two Survivals expressed their thanked and appreciation to the government for coming to immediate rescues, adding God come first, has it not being the authority on ground we would have been dead by now.
The women said she was stripped naked by authorities of the country society on the order of two elders of the community and most dangerous thing they do to me by shucking stick into my secret part and my son victor private part was also burned by the angry youths with hot cutlass they place in fire.
They paraded us in the center of the town. The two victims said they are responding to treatment but their condition is very critical and needs urgent referral at advance hospital.
Health authority at the clinic said there is no ambulance in the district and the availability means of transporting the two survival remains a major challenge.
The 72 years old women along with her son are appealing to the Ministry of Gender, Central government, humanitarians and international partners to come to their aid in an efforts to facilitate their referral to seek advance medical treatment
The National
Police in Grand Kru told this reporter that they was informed about the
situation that occurred in Patty, responded to the crime scene and their
operations was obstructed by the country society.
The police are
now investigating the situation in Garraway along with local authority.
In an efforts to stop mob Justice, protect the pride of women
against abuse and violence and bring to book perpetrators remains a major
challenge in Grand Kru County.
For his part, Amajie Sieka, Trehn Statutory district Superintendent has
condemned the alleged act of violent perpetrated against the woman and her son
in regrettable mood.
The district
Superintendent disclosed that the district authority are currently working with
the police to bring to book those that instigate the ugly act.
Superintendent Sieka indicated that the conduct of Sasswood has since been
condemned by the central government and those that administered the
ordeal will also be apprehended by Police.
The District Superintendent said the act has the propensity to undermine the progress of the District. Trehn Statutory district has been earmarked to host this year’s July 26.
Superintendent Amajie Sieka has assured the victims that justice will be serve after police investigations into the matter. Report by Garmah Never Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com and our Staff Writer