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Ritual killings increasing in lead-up to Gabon polls

Pre-election ritual killings in Gabon are on the rise, carried out by secret networks scavenging for blood or body parts in pursuit of boundless health, wealth, success and power, residents say.

"Unfortunately, this practice seems to be spreading again in Gabon," said Jean-Elvis Ebang Ondo, founder of the ALCR, the Association to Fight Ritual Crimes, since his 12-year-old son was kidnapped, killed and mutilated in 2005.

The ALCR and the Gabonese media claim such killings become more common in the weeks ahead of local elections, because candidates encourage sacrifices on their behalf. Ebang Ondo says there have been 12 ritual murders since last month.

Edang N'na Ralph of Makokou in northeast Gabon early this month became a 13-year-old victim of ritual crime ahead of municipal elections across the equatorial African country on April 27.

He was found strangled, almost bloodless, with holes in his genitals and breast bones, neck and feet. Sexual organs, eyes, ears, tongues, lips and bits of flesh are all considered sources of power.

"The child was hanged to make believe that he committed suicide," a health official in Ogooue-Ivindo province said. "But before that, his blood was drained. There's no doubt it was a ritual killing."

Local people in Makokou township asked for next month's elections to be postponed until the culprits are caught.

Ebang Ondo condemned what he described as a quick-fix practice used by power hungry politicians, who will never be arrested. He also said that once you get caught up in ritual killings, it is difficult to say no and back out.

"If someone does you a favor, you must follow orders and kill when you're asked to carry out a human sacrifice," Ebang Ondo said.

"You can't just choose anybody," Ebang Ondo explained. "The victim must be of quality," since the soul and the blood of the dead person were held to strengthen the beneficiary physically and mentally.

"Arrests are rare and those who are detained are never the ones who order the killings," he said, blaming people in office. "There are political orders to stop investigations."

Interior Minister Andre Mba Obame said he considered casualty tolls given by the ALCR and in the press exaggerated, though he admitted he had no precise figures.

"Crimes feed rumors. Every corpse found is subject to an investigation," the minister said. "People believe that every recovered body, battered by the sea or whatever, is the victim of a ritual crime."
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