“Witchcraft Allegations Lead to Public Stoning and Burning of Two Women in Congo”

In a horrific incident unfolding in the Democratic Republic of Congo, two women, aged 60 and 65, were subjected to public stoning and their bodies burnt after being accused of witchcraft. The shocking event took place in the village of Nyamutiri, located in the South Kivu region.

Andre Byaduniya, the head of a local civil society, revealed that the women were apprehended late on Sunday, amid accusations of causing the deaths of several individuals through witchcraft. Despite the severity of the situation, Timothee Bakanirwa, an official from an adjoining region, lamented the inability of law enforcement, stating, “The police and the army could not intervene in time to save these two women.”

Nelly Adidja, representing the Association of Women in Media (AFEM), highlighted the alarming trend of violence against women based on accusations of sorcery in the region. Adidja reported that 33 women fell victim to such accusations in South Kivu alone last year, with many others forced to flee their villages in fear for their lives.