Traditional Healers Warned

By Minkailu Turay

Members of the Sierra Leone Traditional Healers Association (SLATHA) have described as illegal and criminal, the flagrant display of magical powers and traditional medicine along the streets of Freetown by members of the association to attract customers.

The President of SLATHA, Alhaji Sulaiman Kabba told Global Times in an interview over the weekend that no member of his association was allowed to create a theatre along the streets of Freetown or elsewhere in the country to sell, cure or perfume magical powers. He said most areas, where some of these healers perform would attract large spectators who in turn block vehicular traffic and hamper pedestrian movement.

Alhaji Kabba said most of the magical performances are not only obnoxious but would instill fear in the minds of the citizenry. “Through this, they fleece a lot of money from the unsuspecting public”, the SLATHA President said and in a very strong term condemned the whole exercise as inhumane. He said they are putting certain rules and regulations in place to chase out all those involved in the illegal act.

President Kabbah said this was the same way they got rid of witch-guns, Fangays, witch-pots and other ‘under world’ antics in Freetown. There was a time in Sierra Leone he said when many people were afraid to pass through Up Gun and other areas including Water-Quay, Eastern Police Station etc. which were then witch-gun infested areas.

He noted that today those areas have all been liberated and assured Global Times that in the same way they would liberate all the streets from self-proclaimed traditional healers. He said the government has empowered them to do all that. “Anyone who has trust in his magical powers and/or medicine should wait at home. The news about his magical powers will attract customers” Pa Kabbah said whilst also condemning all adverts of traditional healers and medicine on the radio and in newspapers.

Honourable Torto said he would like the public to know that his enemies were trying to eliminate him.