Police Raid Herbalists’ Shrine After BBC Undercover Investigation on Alleged Ritual Killings

An undercover investigation by BBC Africa Eye has exposed disturbing claims of human body parts being offered for ritual purposes, leading to a police raid and arrests in Sierra Leone.

The reporter, posing as a client seeking parts for political success rituals, approached a man identified as Idara. During the meeting, Idara allegedly boasted: “There are no human parts that we don’t work with.”

Although ritual murder is not recorded as a distinct offence in Sierra Leone, its true scale remains unknown. The undercover reporter instructed Idara not to act, but later received a call in which Idara claimed his associates were ready to proceed: “I called my men. Three of us sit here presently. If you come, we should start moving this week.”

BBC Africa Eye journalist Tyson Conteh described the situation as alarming: “This is crazy, someone’s life could be in danger here.”

Fearing imminent danger, the BBC team alerted the police, who launched a raid on Idara’s residence. The Council of Traditional Healers assisted in the operation, helping to identify suspicious items linked to ritual practices.

Sheku Tarawallie of the council explained that investigators found ridiculous objects resembling human remains but stuffed with animal parts: “This was removed from a human look. They stuffed it with a cat’s head. This comes from a human. They stuffed it with a dog’s head.”

Following the raid, police detained Idara and two other men. They were charged under Sierra Leone’s anti-witchcraft laws and later released on bail pending further investigations.

Authorities say the case highlights the challenge of tackling ritual-related crimes, which are often hidden and difficult to quantify. The Council of Traditional Healers has pledged to continue working with law enforcement to root out rogue herbalists and protect communities from exploitation.

Sierra Leone, with a population of more than 8 million, has only one pathologist, severely limiting forensic investigations. Deep-rooted cultural beliefs in witchcraft also discourage victims, witnesses, and sometimes even police officers from pursuing cases.