Over 50 people were killed in the southwestern African country of Angola in recent months after they were forced to drink a potion to prove they were not witches as part of an anti-sorcery hunt.
Police and local officials informed Agence France Presse (AFP) that the victims were killed near the municipality of Camacupa, which reportedly had a population of 59,000 in 2014. Police confirmed that 50 were dead.
According to Luzia Filemone, a local councillor, the deaths occurred between January and February.
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“More than 50 victims were forced to drink this mysterious liquid which, according to traditional healers, proves whether or not a person practices witchcraft,” Filemone told a national broadcaster. The so-called traditional healers, also known as “marabouts,” are the primary arbiters in conflicts over “witchcraft.”
Their potion is called “Mbulungo,” a toxic herbal liquid that they claim reveals who is a witch based on who dies from consuming it.
“It’s a widespread practice to make people drink the supposed poison because of the belief in witchcraft,” said police spokesman Antonio Hossi, and warned that the practice is likely to spread and increase.
Angola has no laws prohibiting “witchcraft” or the punishment of it at the national level, meaning communities often take matters into their own hands.
Many believe in witches and witchcraft in some communities, especially rural ones, in Angola. The country used to be a Portuguese colony whose culture was in the hands of the Catholic Church. The church still has a presence there and is the main oppositional force to sorcery and the dark arts.
Shane Devine is a writer covering politics, economics, and culture for Valuetainment. Follow Shane on X (Twitter).
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