Three (3) witches who were two teenagers (13yr & 5yr) and a 65 years old woman, were on 25th November, 2021, at Cole town, Waterloo community, accused in front of a gathering at the Court Barry of Chief Kabbah and many other Juju-men and women, of conspiring and initiating a four (4) year old boy into their witch Kingdom and for attempting to remove his internal human organs and blood for consumption.

As this incident became a huge and serious concern for community members in Waterloo, one of the accused, a thirteen (13) year old boy, other Traditional Healers during the ceremony, accused the boy for being sent by the woman through their findings, to initiate the four year old boy into the witch kingdom.

Awoko reports that the 13 year old boy at the centre of the Photograph(name withheld), during his testimony in the Court Barray before stakeholders and traditional healers, said in weak and sick voice (translated in English from Krio by authorities of the high table) “The old woman sent me to join the boy into the witch coven”. The Authorities in the Court Barray who were questioning the accused witch teenager, also asked him – How many of them initiated the four year old boy? The 13 year old boy replied that they were three in number.

The Grandmother of the four year old boy (name withheld) who brought and sided with the minor, said in her testimony in the Barray when asked by Authorities to explain…“I received a complaint from the 13 year old boy after my return from my Village that my Grandson had been initiated into the Witch Kingdom. The boy told me that they had killed him. They had removed his intestine (gut), boiled and ate it. The heart of my Grandson had been removed and hanged on top of a wooden stick. They had drained his blood and put into a Calabash and then put on top of a table”.

As the 13 year Old boy sat close to the Grandmother during their testimony, sick, unable to speak clearly and feet swollen from observation, the Grandmother further said in her testimony in the Barray, that the boy told her also that if her Grandson’s blood is thrown anywhere, he would not live but die.

Responding to this accusation in the Court Barray, one of the accused, the 65 year Old woman, when questioned by the Authorities and Juju-men, she angrily denied the accusation that she sent the 13 year old boy and even during the incantation of screening to initiate the four year old boy into the witch coven.

The husband of the old woman raised his hand and put an offer traditionally known as ‘Bora’ and said to the gathering in Temne Language interpreted by the stakeholders, that even few years ago, he had wanted to make his Pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, but he suspected the woman and the 13 year old boy to have spoiled his intended journey by witchcraft. He said regarding the tie between them, he did not know where it was made.

As the Chief received this complaint in his resident he said, that is why he demanded the service of the National Council of Traditional Healers ceremonial Chairman and team.

The Ceremonial Chairman, Manchavie, Abu Joko Brown Bangura and team during their incantation and initial screening, said the 13 year old boy was a witch having other members behind him whom he collaborated with in the witch Kingdom. He continued in his incantation that the Old woman must be taken to their screening place known as ‘Kanday’ to be proved special because of her accusation.

He ended with; “Di woman in face ar di see am right now na mi mirror now.”