In a tragic incident in the remote north of Guinea-Bissau, eight women, all aged over 50, accused of witchcraft, have lost their lives to poisoning, according to a senior official’s statement to media on Thursday.
The grim events unfolded after two youngsters in Culade, Cacheu region, succumbed to a sudden illness. Blaming the women, an animist priest compelled them to ingest poison.
Carlos Sanha, a senior administrative official in Sao Domingos, the local capital, reported the deaths of the eight women, with 21 others hospitalized. Sanha expressed concern over the recurrence of such incidents in an area where traditional animist beliefs persist.
“We intend to take the decisions needed to put an end to these practices from ancestral times. It’s sad and unacceptable in the 21st century. We can no longer tolerate such practices,” stated Sanha, emphasizing the urgency to address these tragic events.
Similar circumstances occurred in the region during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, leading to four deaths amid fears of a connection to witchcraft.
