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Legalbrief   |   your legal news hub Friday 29 March 2024

Traditional healers arrested over ritual killings

Police in Tanzania have arrested 65 ‘witchdoctors’, or traditional healers, in connection with the ritual killing of at least 10 children. BBC News reports that the children were killed in January and many had body parts removed. The victims were murdered in the south-western Njombe region and the northern Simuyu region. As a result, inspector general Simon Sirro has ordered every traditional healer to obtain a licence to practice. ‘We have also requested religious leaders and politicians to help us,’ he added. As previously reported in Legalbrief Today, the authorities in neighbouring Malawi last week said they will offer cash rewards of up $7 000 for information about abductions and killing of people with albinism as anger over government inaction continues to grow. Belief in witchcraft is widespread and fuels ritual killings. Albinism is particularly prevalent in Tanzania with one in 1 400 affected.