PHOTO: Latest Sassywood victim and the bowl of concoction he drank before dying
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Despite being officially banned by law in Liberia, the traditional practice of performing “Sassywood” ritual, trial by ordeal continues in parts of this West African state unabated, with the latest reportedly leading to the death of a man, age 50.
Sassywood is also a form of torture, which is a human rights violation under the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR and Liberian domestic laws.
Report from Pouh town, Gbarzon Administrative District, Grand Gedeh County says the man identified as Tubman Zimmeyan has died as the result of eating Sassywood, after being accused of witchcraft.
The incident occurred about 9:21 GMT on Wednesday December 30, 2020 in this area situated over 440 kilometers southeast of Monrovia.
According to the report, a 20-year-old woman known as Dorcus Tiah confessed that Mr. Zimmeyan, including three others persons, were engaged in witchcraft and that she was tired of being involved in such practice.
The woman is said to have made the confession after being told to make another “blood sacrifice” in their witchcraft form.
Dorcus Tiah and the deceased, Mr. Zimmeyan was among four persons allegedly involved in the witchcraft ring.
Following her confession last month, November 2020 became the subject of scorn.
After the Sassywood team was brought from the forest on Wednesday morning December 30 at about 7:30 am, Zimmeyan was seen being administered the concoction, something he drank.
Immediately thereafter he finished drinking the substance, he then vomited and later collapsed and died instantly.
Usually when someone is accused of being involved in witchcraft and administered the Sassywood concoction, vomits, it locally means that he/she is innocent. But that was not the case with Zimmeyan.
After the alleged confession by Dorcus Tiah, all those whose names she confessed were later turned over to the traditional society people for further investigation.
But the traditional group has postponed the matter until after the holiday season, when the Sassywood is expected to be performed to prove their innocense.
Meanwhile, all those who were accused of being involved in witchcraft along with the 50-year-old man, Zimmeyan have been put in the custody of the Liberia National Police for their protection.
Sassywood rituals have regularly been practiced in these areas, depite the act being banned by the Liberian government through the Justice and Internal Affairs Ministries.
A number of persons have so far died from concoction taken by people accused of being involved in witchcraft or other acts over the years but nothing has been done by the government to put stop to this harmful traditional practice over the years.