The activities of a traditional herbalist in continuing his operation to identify alleged ritualistic killers/Gboyo have sparked a serious row in one of the largest Gold mining sites at Government Camp, Sinoe County in southeastern Liberia.
The Herbalist identified as Tamba is said to have identified the alleged ritualistic killer, who is currently in the hands of the traditional people for questioning, as protest reportedly continued over the weekend.
In a phone interview with the communication Officer of the county and acting County Coordinator Sorbor Wesseh, he said they as county authorities have halted the process of naming alledged witch and Gboyo in the County, because the youths are using that to destroy the properties of residents.
Mr. Wesseh narrated that if the will continue let him write the office of superintendent and need strong security force to guard the process because it only the government camp to his operation.
Acting County Coordinator Wesseh added that the herbalist presented a letter to the County authorities concerning his operation which they accepted and affixed their signature to the letter.
But this is where the sticky situation stands now when the County authorities told the herbalist not to continue his operation in order to avoid violence.
But the herbalist said he and elder along with the county local authorities took an oath before starting his operation therefore if the county authorities saying that he should not continue his operation which was a breach of contract, then, the County authorities should give him one cow, dog, and one million Liberian dollars.
But the youths of the county are demanding that the herbalist should continue his work.
Some people complain that ritualist killing and domestic violence seem to be on the increase in Liberia’s southeastern region..
However, over the alleged killing of a seven-year-old boy identified as Annoited Doeply in Government Camp, one of the biggest goldmining camp in Sinoe County, has led to the destruction of the alleged perpetrator’s properties.
On August 4, 2019, the mother of Annoited Doeply, sent him to buy a cup of rice for cooking to a next door neighbor shop and returned with the rice to his mother.
According to a report, after the mother of the deceased finished cooking between 6pm to 9pm, she went searching for him but could not find her son. So she later informed the commissioner, elders and the Liberia National Police about the unimaginable situation that has happened.
In response, the elders ordered that no one should to work when the missing child cannot be found. And those from the Goldmine too came ordered nobody should cook nor sell if any found doing search, their houses will be destroyed.
When a massive search was launched for the missing child and he could not be found, a passerby (a local traditional medicine man) was stopped and asked to perform rituals to establish the whereabouts of the child. But the medicine man said he was unable to do that.
Some citizens also went Grand Kru County, to hire medicine man but told them that he too was unable to come but gave some ritual to perform and they could get result after performing and it was indeed profound but there was no result.
Finally a license herbalist only identified as Tampa was sent for from Sanquin district who presented all his document to his operation to the Superintendent, elders and local government officials.
Herbalist Tamba therefore told the citizens of Government camp in Sinoe County that the missing child is not alive but told the citizens that someone in the camp did the act and that person is a business man hailed from Nimba County adding he is a witch and also a Gboyo.
The Habulist identified the alleged perpetrator as Ernest Suah and he was later sent for but when accused Suah came asked habituate Suah to proved his evidence against him but was told the herbalist Suah to sit on a mat and while going to sit on the mat, the accused Suah slapped the habulist twice which made citizens concerned.
Herbalist Tamba then moved to the room of the accused, discovering various charms and “juju” as well as a knife with blood stain, something that triggered a protest that led to rampaging and damaging of a local motel. Report by Garmah Never Lomo