368,379 people killed, 306,096 injured and over $2,815,931,000 in economic damages

What's the harm in believing in witchcraft?

Witchcraft refers to the belief in witches or other beings that have special powers. Read more about witchcraft

Here are 14,738 people who were harmed by someone not thinking critically.

Victoria Climbie Age: 9 Tottenham, London, England	Died February 25, 2000
Victoria's mother asked a relative to take her from Ivory Coast to Britain so she would have a better life. Because she thought Victoria was possessed by witches, the relative mistreated and tortured her. The relative pled guilty to manslaughter. Read more & more

Jamuna Devi Age: 75 Ajmer, India	Beaten up May 7, 2008
She was blamed for someone's illness by a tantrik who claimed she did black magic. Over 20 people beat her with sticks in retribution. The culprits fled the village and police are investigating. Read more

Samuel Edem Abuja, Nigeria	Lost Job August 8, 2008
He was the head of the development agency for the oil-producing Niger Delta. He spent millions on witchcraft and burnt millions more in rituals to secure his position. He was fired from his job for misuse of funds. Read more & more & more

Newni Ekka Sundergarh, Orissa, India	Humiliated/tortured May 30, 2004
This mother of four was forced to eat human excrement and paraded naked through the streets of her village after being accused of witchcraft. Read more & more

Fawza Falih Age: 80 Quraiyat, Saudi Arabia	Sentenced to death April 2, 2006
Even though "witchcraft" is not defined in Saudi law, a court convicted this woman of it and sentenced her to death based solely on accusations. Many human rights organizations have attempted to intervene to have the sentence set aside. Read more & more

Bajru Hembram Age: 60 Abhaypur village, Orissa, India	Murdered (decapitation) April 8, 2008
Three tribal youths blamed a fellow villager for causing a recent death through witchcraft. They beheaded the man and paraded his severed head around the village. They were arrested. Read more & more

Baba Jallow & 7 others Age: 28 Serekunda, Gambia & Ghana	Beaten to death October 9, 2003
He was accused of stealing another man's penis through sorcery, and a mob of ten people beat him to death for it. Seven other cases like this happened in Ghana in 1997. Read more

Harrison Johnson Age: 2 Tampa, Florida	Died (untreated wasp stings) 1998
Harrison was stung by wasps while his family was visiting church friends. They prayed over the boy but did not seek medical help because they believe doctors practice witchcraft. When an EMT was called 7 hours later, the boy was beyond help. Read more & more

Makiesse Jonas Age: 10 Uige, Angola	Abused, shunned by his family December 12, 2006
From the age of six, family members accused him of witchcraft. What followed was years of abuse, including being almost burnt alive. An uncle saved him and put him in a church shelter. Read more

Maramani Jugur Age: 30 Badamathur, Orissa State, India	Murdered May 22, 2008
After a neighbor died, relatives accused an Indian mother of two of causing the death via witchcraft. They beat, gagged and burnt her to death in a remote tribal village. Three villagers were arrested. Read more & more

Gladys Kasito Age: 63 Lilongwe, Malawi	House destroyed, beaten February 2008
A seven year old boy had a swollen leg, and accused her of causing it via witchcraft. Her neighbors demolished her house and beat her up. Even her family will have nothing to do with her. Read more

Malita Khoviwa Age: 54 Mulanje district, Malawi	Three months in jail January 2008
A girl ran away from home and came to her for help. Later, a witchdoctor accused her of making the girl run. She was convicted of causing the girls disappearance. Read more

Diego Hernandez Lopez & family Age: Chiapas, Mexico	4 dead, 5 wounded September 17, 2002
Locals accused Diego of practicing witchcraft. Someone decided to take justice into their own hand, stormed into the house shooting. Four adults were killed, three adults and two children wounded. Read more

Lakhan Majhi & his family Age: 65, 60, 45, 35 Koilajuli Milanpur, Assam, India	Stoned & buried alive June 7, 2008
When a neighbor died of a prolonged illness, villagers blamed him and accused him of witchcraft. He and his family were stoned and then buried alive in the jungle. When police arrived, everyone had fled. Read more

Chikumbutso Mponda Malawi	Five years in jail
He was convicted on allegations that his "magic plane" crashed while he was traveling in it. Read more

Amir Munda & family Age: Biswanath Charali, India	Murdered March 19, 2006
Accused of witchcraft Read more

Bihani Nagasia & 93 other people Age: 70 Siliguri, India	Murdered November 2, 2004
Two youths accused her of practicing witchcraft, and took the law into their own hands. They beat her to death. This is unfortunately common in rural India, where many misfortunes are blamed on witches. Read more

Bibhisana Naik Mayurbhanj, Orissa, India	Murdered
He was murdered by a fellow villager in a blind rage when his wife delivered a blind baby. He was accused of destroying the newborn's eyesight through witchcraft. Read more

Domingos Pedro Age: 12 Uige, Angola	Beaten, abandoned by his family, now homeless 2004
Accused of witchcraft Read more

Veronica Vincent & her mother Age: 50, 65 Zomba, Malawi	Died & poisoned May 4, 2008
Four children (ages 6 to 8) accused them of witchcraft. An angry mob forced them to visit a witchdoctor. He administered an herbal remedy to Veronica, which caused her death. He was arrested. Read more

Alesi Yosefe Age: 60 Mchinji district, Malawi	18 months in jail 2007
Children in her area accused her of flying around the marketplace and practicing witchcraft. She was convicted under a 107 year old law and was sentenced to 18 months in jail. Read more

13 soccer fans Age: 11 - 16 Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo	Died September 14, 2008
A football club was losing to its local rivals. The goalkeeper incated some “fetishist” spells to weaken the opposing team. Many in this country believe in witchcraft, and the subsequent riot left 13 dead and others injured. Read more & more

14,000 children Age: 5 to 15 Kinshasa, Congo	Abandoned by their families, homeless 1998 - 2007
Accused of witchcraft Read more & more

18 elderly Kenyans Age: 60+ Meru district, Kenya	Died (lynched) May 2008
Villagers in eastern Kenya lynched seven elderly men accused of witchcraft over a month, after linking them to mysterious deaths. Eleven other elderly women were lynched in western Kenya in May. Read more

19 albinos Dar es Salaam, Tanzania	Killed December 17, 2007
Some in this country believe albinos are victims of curses. Some witch doctors believe that albino body parts are useful for potions. The result has been at least 19 killings in 2007 and 2008. Read more & more

432 children Age: 5 to 15 Mbanza Congo, Angola	Abandoned by their families, homeless
Accused of witchcraft Read more

47 children Age: 0 - 14 England	Abused 2000 - 2005
Belief in witchcraft Read more & more

6 Nigerians Bekpor Irruan, Boki, Cross River, Nigeria	Serious injuries May 2008
When the first female pilot from the area died suddenly in an auto wreck, local youths rioted and took out their frustrations on people they suspected of being responsible via witchcraft. Read more

8 Indian villagers Gereda, Ganjam, Orissa State, India	Tortured April 21, 2008
After some villagers fell ill, eight residents were accused of being responsible via witchcraft. They were beaten, their teeth were extracted with hammers and they were forced to eat human excrement. Read more & more

9 year old boy Age: 9 Takoradi, Ghana	Died April 9, 2008
He complained of being hot and ate excessively. He was taken to a spiritualist who told his parents that he was possessed by witchcraft and could not be cured. He was kept in a room until he died. The parents were arrested. Read more

"Child B" Age: 8 Hackney, London, England	Beaten, cut, chili rubbed in eyes June 2005
Belief in witchcraft Read more

"Jane Doe" Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea	Murdered January 6, 2009
A woman was bound and gagged and set on fire because villagers suspected her of being a witch. Authorities say 50 people were killed in similar fashion here last year. Read more

"Tshepang" Age: 9 months Louisvale, South Africa	Raped November 2001
The AIDS epidemic in Africa has spawned many quack cures. In one area, witch doctors say that sex with a small child can cure the disease. Needless to say, this results in tragedy. Read more & more

Return to the list of topics

What's the harm in believing in witchcraft?

Victoria Climbie

Jamuna Devi

Samuel Edem

Newni Ekka

Fawza Falih

Bajru Hembram

Baba Jallow & 7 others

Harrison Johnson

Makiesse Jonas

Maramani Jugur

Gladys Kasito

Malita Khoviwa

Diego Hernandez Lopez & family

Lakhan Majhi & his family

Chikumbutso Mponda

Amir Munda & family

Bihani Nagasia & 93 other people

Bibhisana Naik

Domingos Pedro

Veronica Vincent & her mother

Alesi Yosefe

13 soccer fans

14,000 children

18 elderly Kenyans

19 albinos

432 children

47 children

6 Nigerians

8 Indian villagers

9 year old boy

"Child B"

"Jane Doe"

"Tshepang"