In brief
A recent investigative report by BBC Africa Eye exposes the horrific practice of ritual killings for human body parts in Sierra Leone. Families affected by these crimes, like that of 11-year-old Papayo, continue to seek justice amidst a system that often fails them. The report also sheds light on the juju practitioners involved in this trade, offering insights into their operations and the societal belief in the efficacy of ritual sacrifices.
With many families left traumatized by killings apparently linked to supposed magic rituals in Sierra Leone, BBC Africa Eye looks into those behind the trade in human body parts.
Warning: This article contains details some readers may find disturbing.
The mother of an 11-year-old boy murdered as part of a suspected black magic killing four years ago is devastated that no one has yet been brought to justice for his death.
Today I'm in pain. They killed my child and now there is just silence, Sallay Kalokoh told BBC Africa Eye, explaining how her son Papayo was found with parts of his body removed, including his vital organs, eyes, and one arm.
He had gone out to sell fish at the market and never came back.
His family searched for him for two weeks - and finally found his mutilated corpse at the bottom of a well.
We always tell our children to be careful. If you are selling, don't go to a corner or take gifts from strangers. It happens frequently in this country, Ms. Kalokoh said.
This murder in my hometown of Makeni, in central Sierra Leone, has haunted me as we often hear of reports of killings linked to black magic, also known as juju, that are never followed up or properly investigated by the authorities.
In Papayo's case, the police did not even confirm that it was a ritual killing - when a person is murdered so that parts of their body can be used in so-called magic rituals by illicit juju practitioners.
They promise things like prosperity and power to clients who pay large sums in the false belief that human body parts can make such charms more potent.
But with the authorities severely under-resourced - there is only one pathologist in a country that has a population of 8.9 million - it is often impossible to gather the evidence needed to track down the culprits.
Belief in witchcraft is also so deeply ingrained in Sierra Leone, even among many police officers, that there is often a fear of pursuing cases further - and most go unsolved.
Our BBC Africa Eye team was able to find two individuals who claimed they were juju practitioners and offered to obtain body parts for ritual purposes.
One undercover reporter, posing as a politician seeking power, arranged to meet a juju practitioner named Kanu in a remote area of Kambia district. During this meeting, Kanu boasted about his political connections and revealed the existence of a human skull as part of his trade.
The investigation highlights the intersection of poverty, superstition, and the desperate need for power that drives these gruesome practices.
Alongside the testimonies of grieving families, the exposé serves as a call to action for authorities to bring justice to those affected by these heinous crimes and dismantle the networks underlying this trade.
