Witchcraft detection drink kills at least one person in Angola

The consumption of an herbal drink called mbulungo led to the death of at least one person accused of witchcraft in the municipality of Camakupa in Angola’s Bie province last week, according to local police.

According to Bie National Police spokesman António Jossi, the victim was forced to drink the aforementioned liquid prepared by a Quimbandeiro (fortune teller) to prove that he was not to blame for the death that occurred in that community.

“Thanks to information coming from the municipality of Kamakupa, we learned that the situation regarding the consumption of a suspected poison called mbulungo, due to superstition, was constant,” said António Jossi Luse.

Bie police spokesman stressed that there have been several deaths related to this practice in the province, mainly in the municipalities of Kamakupa, Nharea and Kuemba, but did not give specific figures.

“This case took place in Camacupa, the victim was taken to another place, in the municipality of Cuemba, where the alleged Quimbandeiro who committed similar acts was located. The victim eventually died,” he emphasized.

In addition to arresting the people involved in these cases and those who committed the murder, police carried out awareness-raising campaigns and appealed to communities not to engage in such practices, which are “unfortunately common and have been going on for some time.” “.

António Jossi stressed that thanks to requests from the authorities, the number of cases has decreased slightly, but this practice continues.

“The police will continue to monitor and obstruct traditional authorities, and those who insist on such practices will definitely be referred to the prosecutor’s office, depending on the seriousness of the case,” he stressed.

The cases, which usually take place indoors, are reported to the police following a complaint from the victim’s family following the death of a person.

“After death they react, but before that they keep silent about what is happening inside them related to the accusations of witchcraft,” said the person in charge, adding that the person is forced to drink the drink.

According to Antonio Hossi, in communities, when someone dies, there is someone to blame, and this practice continues “sometimes even in the most organized societies.”

“People become reactive in these kinds of situations, which always end up finding someone to blame, it’s always the elderly, family members, the traditional authorities in the villages themselves,” he noted, giving the example of being blamed for someone’s death. , committed suicide.