TRADITIONAL JUSTICE METHODS

KONO, SIERRA LEONE 2014

While we were in Kono preparing for a high level stakeholders meeting, I was able to witness a traditional “lie detector test” and other ceremonies.

One night there was a theft in our Guest House in Kono.  The thief struck in the middle of the night with the sleeping occupants in their rooms.  He targeted only two rooms.  Rooms where computers and mobile phones were in plain sight.  One room was on the second floor, the other on the first.  Both rooms faced a side security wall and narrow, poorly lit alley.

The police were called once the thefts were discovered.  A plainclothes detective examined both rooms and the outside area.  The second floor room was reached by a ladder to a sliding glass window; the first floor room by cutting through the mesh (screen).  Unlike all other guest houses I have stayed, there are no iron bars on the inside of the windows.

It was fortunate no one was hurt, but, of course, the loss of equipment was devastating.  While this did not involve my room, it did involve my colleague, Micheala.  She was beside herself as you can imagine.  Both of her laptops, a mobile phone and phone pad were taken - without their chargers!!

The man on the first floor who lost his laptop and a mobile phone was a traditional man - read, pagan, secret society, voodoo - whatever.  Once it was established it had to be an inside job, he called in a woman to perform a ritual to determine if the accused is telling the truth.  I watched this from an upstairs balcony looking down into the gazebo.

(I have a video of the process, but was unable to load it on the blog.  Will try again when I get home to faster internet service.)

The men who were to be processed were seated in a semi-circle.  The traditional man sat in a chair facing them.  A long round stick about 4 inches in diameter was placed on the floor.  The subject then sat balancing his behind on the stick knees in the air.  After wiping them

Starting To Pull Woven  Sticks

with some kind of powder, the woman wove two sets of thin straws together.  Standing behind the person she placed the woven straws on the person’s throat.  Then two statements were made to the suspect: deny you know anything about the theft, deny you had any part in the theft.  If the suspect was telling the truth when she pulled on the woven straws they easily pulled apart.  If not, when she pulled the straws stayed locked together as she pulled the man down on the ground!

With two men the straws caught them on the first statement, but parted easily on the second.  This means they knew something about it, but did not take part.  In all others except one the straws parted easily for both denials.  With the one man he was drug fairly violently down to the ground on both denials.  In the minds of all there he was the guilty party.  He also happened to be the man who cleaned the rooms involved the day of the night of the theft.

He continued to deny all charges with a defiant, unrepentant, arrogant attitude.  Both of the men who failed the first denial had seen the cleaner in the compound in the early morning hours, but did nothing about it.  They said because he worked there they didn’t think they should call the police.

The police took the accused away to the police department first stopping at his house where they found no evidence other than a secret ritual (read black magic) his family was conducting!!!

In the meantime the other victim called in a soothsayer/shaman.  He consulted his scrying tool which was a round object with figures in 3D relief inside.  He then made a recommendation for a ritual to be performed which would bring someone to them that could shed some light on the stolen property.

The ritual was this: 

Gather these things:

1. A bowl full of water
2. 3 white never been lit candles
3. 1 raw egg

The traditional man and 5 others stood around the bowl bending over the bowl with 3 of them holding the candles now lit.  An Imam said a prayer. The traditional man took all three lit candles and dunked them in the water.  Taking the raw egg he smashed it between his hands, washed his hands in the water and emptied the bowl on the floor.

Within 20 minutes a young man appeared asking for the guest house owner.  He was surprised to see the traditional man, whom he knew.  When asked he confirmed a young man that morning had entered his establishment (computer store) wanting to sell 3 laptops!

That’s as far as it all went.  It is over a week now and nothing has been recovered, but it sure was interesting to see regular law enforcement, a religious leader and tribal law working together.  The guest house owner made the statement the young man who did the deed, if he did not confess and return the items, will die!!!!

The secret ceremony being performed by the alleged thief’s family?  They are reputed to deal in the black arts and it is said they could put a spell on the victims making them so sound asleep they would not hear or feel anything. 

I love this kind of stuff so followed all activities involved.  Until proven otherwise I believe anything is possible.  And, no, we will not stay in that guest house again.  In fact, I wanted to stay in another one from the beginning.  Not because I had any feeling about it, I just was used to and enjoyed the other one.

Much Love To You All,

Mom/Grandma Syrup/Sara