A/HRC/7/3/Add.1
page 162
Para
Country
Date
Type
Mandate
Allegations transmitted
of development and employment in Buotou. The
37 persons were then severely assaulted and
forced to sit outside in the rain and sun and were
denied food (only some received some food from
their relatives). Their heads were shaved and mud
and chilli pepper was rubbed on their heads, into
wounds caused during the beating and into the
women’s vaginas. They were threatened that they
would be subjected to the "sassywood
procedure", wherein the victim must prove his or
her innocence by consuming poison without
dying, and were ordered to confess to being
witches. They were released on 24 October 2006
following the intervention of Liberia National
Police (LNP) and United Nations Police (UNPOL).
On 24 December 2006, Ms. Tuakerseh Gborgan
died in Sanniquillie, apparently as a result of the
injuries sustained during the trial by ordeal.
Hunger and lack of adequate medical treatment
may also have contributed to her death. On 24
November 2006, police arrested eight people
alleged to have participated in this procedure,
among them the witch doctor, Buotou Town Chief,
and the Zone Chief. The eight men were charged
with aggravated assault on 27 November 2006
and released on bail by the Sanniquillie
magistrate’s court the same day. The Youth
Leader was not arrested. On 22 June 2007, the
witch doctor was indicted for murder in the Nimba
county circuit court. However, on 16 July, he was
acquitted after the circuit court judge granted a
defence motion to dismiss the case on the ground
that there was inadequate evidence to prove the
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