MONROVIA – A member of the Grand Kru County Legislative Caucus, Rep. J. Fonati Koffa of District 2, has dissented the county’s Caucus Chairman, Sen. Peter Coleman, stance that Caucus supports traditional herbalist Tamba Bundoo to cleanse Chenakaleh, Picnicess through ‘primitive method’ as a means of rendering justice from alleged witchcraft activities.
Traditional herbalist Tamba Bundoo, also called ‘witch doctor’ has been in Grand Kru County since August 19 following Superintendent Doris N. Ylatun’s invitation to cleanse Chenakaleh, Picnicess from alleged witchcraft and wizardry activities but his ministration was recently halted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs over complaints of scary and strange outcomes of primitive justice.
Sen. Coleman told Grandcess Radio in Grand Kru that former Grand Kru County Traditional Chief Swen Wleh will lead a delegation from Monrovia to Grand Kru to guide the process of Tamba’s ministration, while police would be deployed to provide protections.
But Rep. Cllr. Koffa, contrarily, said the presence of the herbalist is like a fool’s gold.
He wrote his dissent on his Facebook page: “The presence of a herbalist in Picnicess is like a fool’s gold. It is not likely to lead to discoverable evidence. As a Catholic and a lawyer, l must object. As a member of the caucus I did not participate in that decision. I respect whatever motives may have impelled the decision. Yet, we cannot resort to primitive methods for criminal justice. I most respectfully dissent.”
Several commenters expressed their concurrence against the primitive method of justice, including Rufus Bongpekin Oulabo, who wrote on Cllr. Koffa’s post: “You’ve won my respect 110 percent, Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa. The criminal justice procedures should be followed in dispensing cases of all nature in this contemporary time.”
Journalist Samuel Doe, head of the Southern Journalists noted: “Congratulation for releasing this post because many thoughts that it was a unanimous decision reached by the entire Grand Kru legislative caucus members. Those that accepted such a primitive practice or idea to identify witchcrafts in the county are enemies of the county.
Senior staff reporter of the Democrat Newspaper, Siafa Jallah added his words: “In this modern age!! Our people need awareness to make use of the judicial process!!”
Meanwhile, it has been reported that at least 40 persons have died from alleged mysterious killing or witchcraft activities in Chenakaleh over the years, with the allegedly recent claimed been a catechist in Picnicess, Brother Joseph Nyenplue.
Grand Kru County Superintendent Doris N. Ylatun had told journalists that the unexplained July 10 death of the late Nyenplue caused protest and petition of seeking justice. The Superintendent also said the former commissioner of Picnicess in 2018, Tokpa Geplah, also died mysteriously.
She said besides Picnicess, the alleged witchcraft activities are also alarming in Galarway.