Black Jesus Chopped to Pieces

"Black Jesus," the cult leader known for raping and killing young girls, has been killed by a machete-wielding mob. In fact, according to reports from authorities in Papua New Guinea, Black Jesus got the shit killed out of him:

Black Jesus, the self-proclaimed prophet whose real name is Steven Tani, had been imprisoned for multiple crimes (though he was only tried, and convicted, of rape) but escaped from jail last year along with over 40 other prisoners and has been on the run since then. He apparently went right back to his ways and is believed to have killed one young girl before the mob caught up to him.

At least one member of the mob claimed he was in the process of killing yet another "Flower Girl" who had been tricked into joining his cult when they chopped Black Jesus and another man into pieces. Several other men are supposed to stand trial for the murder of the young girl and other crimes related to the cult.

"Those who live by the sword, die by the sword." was the epitaph given Black Jesus by district administrator, Lawrence Pitor.

© C Harris Lynn, 2013

Goblin Blamed for Explosion, Housefire

A traditional healer (witchdoctor) was paid $15,000 to dispose of a goblin a local businessman had captured and wanted to be rid of once it started making extreme demands. According to stories collected from the scene of an explosion, the lead witchdoctor beheaded the goblin. As the businessman went to get the money from his car, the witchdoctor called out that the goblin was "fighting back." Shortly thereafter, a mysterious blast rocked the house, damaging a dozen other homes nearby.

The goblin was apparently supposed to improve the businessman's finances. At least one eyewitness claims some victims expired due to the blast and all reports indicate that several were injured.

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

Strange Creature Found in Namibia?

This post was originally published on 11-20-2012 (9:09am) but had to be republished in 2020 due to a security issue.

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

The Dog-Headed Pig Monster of Nambia

Nambian residents are arming themselves and traveling in groups out of fear of a "dog-headed pig monster" that is said to roam the area. Eyewitnesses claim they have seen the beast attacking dogs and other small animals near the village. Many believe the creature to be a black magician's familiar: a pet that has magical properties.

The dog-headed pig monster is said to be mostly white with broad and hairless shoulders like that of a pig. Attacks on domestic animals were reported in 2009, as well. In those attacks, no one saw the beast that drained the blood of the animals, but it was said to have left tracks similar to those of a dog. The tracks were followed, but they disappeared suddenly in the middle of an open field, leading some to believe the creature may be able to fly.

© C Harris Lynn, 2012

Dead Man Wakes Up in Morgue

A South African man was taken to the morgue after his family called authorities and reported him dead from an asthma attack. Some 21 hours later, morgue workers heard pounding and someone screaming for help. Fearing a ghost, the workers ran to their boss who called police.

When police arrived, they discovered the old man pale and shaking, but alive. The family was gathered to make funeral arrangements when they were told the man was fine. The morgue owner said he was so scared by the experience that he was having nightmares the day after, but is feeling better now.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Shapeshifter Haunts African Town

Residents of Steytlerville, an African town in the arid territory of Karoo, claim there is a shapeshifter in their midst. According to one eyewitness, the creature -- whatever it is -- changed from a man in a suit to a pig to a bat. So far, no one has photographed the shapeshifter, even though that seems a little silly given its nature.

While the shapeshifting creature has terrorized the small town, it has yet to harm any living creature.

© C Harris Lynn, 2011

Zimbabwean Killed by Pride of Lions in Shower

A Zimbabwean tourist in an open wildlife conservation area was killed by a pride of lions while showering last Friday. Though details of the attack are still emerging, experts blame the attack on poaching. Earlier in 2010, eight villagers were similarly attacked by lions hundreds of miles down the river.

Experts say a lack of food has lead villagers to poach lions, traumatizing the animals. It is believed they may be targeting humans as a result.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Amazon River Lowest in 40 Years

The Amazon River, the second-longest river in the world (after the Nile), is at its lowest point in 40 years, beating the previous record set just five years ago.  Six cargo boats have been grounded near the Peruvian city, Iquitos.  Smaller boats capable of navigating the exposed mudbanks have been forced to bring in food and supplies.  Many cities, such as Iquitos, have no inland roads and depend on the Amazon as their transportation route.

The river's low level is due to a severe drought that is not expected to lift until the rainy season starts next month.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Kenyan Authorities Hunting Serial Killer Cult Leader

"I managed 17 and there were 83 to go," 32-year-old Kenyan, Philip Onyancha, confessed to police.  Onyancha says he was recruited into a cult by a teacher who told him to murder 100 women and drink their blood "for good fortune."  Onyancha has lead police and media around the country for three days, taking them to the sites of unresolved murders, uncovering four bodies, and closing many cases for police -- though many Kenyans are suspect, believing authorities are finding a convenient end in Onyancha to too many unsolved cases.

Meanwhile, the female teacher he claims recruited and instructed him is nowhere to be found.  She no longer works at the school Onyancha attended and was not at work Thursday.  Her whereabouts remain unknown.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

New Ancient Hominid Found?

Researchers believe a new hominid -- human-like ancestor -- has been discovered. The bones of what appear to be an adult female and juvenile male, possibly mother and son, were found in South Africa, not far from Johannesburg. The remains are around 2 million years old, and appear to have died at the same time, or soon after one another. The hominid has been named Australopithecus sediba. "Sediba" is Sesotho, the language spoken in South Africa, for "fountain"

Some believe they are the remains of a previously unknown hominid, representing the bridge between, "an ape that walks on two legs to, effectively, us." Others disagree, as the precise placement of the A. sediba remains in Man's history is proving controversial. The hominid reportedly has a mixture of ancient and modern features, such as smaller teeth and an advanced pelvis, but long arms and a small brain.

Experts say the remains were found on top of others, none of which appear to have been scavenged, suggesting they were entombed... quickly.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Child Sorcery

Now, child sorcery is a growing problem in the DR Congo. As The OddBlog continues to report, the Congo is one of the areas in the world where claims of witchcraft are not only taken seriously, but often lead to murder. Of course, the Congo is also one of the pockets of the modern world in which proclaimed forms of "witchcraft" or "sorcery" is still practiced; this is one of the places where albinos are dismembered so their body parts can be used in bizarre rituals.

Activist spokespersons say there is no sense of community or family in the Congo, which makes it easy for the disenfranchised to single-out those with few or no rights. In 2008, some 100 cases of "child sorcery" were reported; in 2009, that number grew to 450. Unicef's Alessandra Dentice believes this can be explained by a growing awareness of the situation in the area, but also knows how serious such allegations can be - many accused "child sorcerers" are burnt, exiled, or killed.

Many charities have taken-in children found abandoned on streets and in the wilderness, cast aside by family members, neighbors, and friends because of something as simple as a family member having fallen ill. One child was accused of sorcery after he and a friend saw a zombie movie and began play-acting one of the scenes. The other child ran away and spread the rumor that his young friend was actually a sorcerer. The young movie-goer was forced into exile to avoid death by burning. These orphans are threatened, not only by life on the streets without supervision, but by stoning and attacks from other villagers.

Even though it is now illegal to accuse children of witchcraft, the law is not enforced. Many priests, local authorities, and even government officials not only believe in sorcery, but force the accused into "confessions" through intimidation, trickery, and outright violence. Yes, these are, of course, Christians.

The law took activists eight years to get on the books, but it has not stopped the accusations. Activists say it is helping, though. They hope their media and word-of-mouth campaigns bring serious, and long-lasting, change to the region.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Four More Albino Killers Set to Die

The Tanzanian province of Shinyanga found four men guilty of murdering an albino man and dismembering him, then selling his head and limbs to self-professed "witchdoctors," who ground them up and used them in the manufacturing of "magical potions" meant to bring the consumer wealth. The sentence follows that of three others, also sentenced to die, for the similar murder of an albino boy. All parties are expected to appeal.

While some feel the death sentences send the right message, thousands of albinos still live in fear throughout Tanzania and the surrounding regions. Many note a larger crime syndicate is at work and want those men to be arrested and convicted.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Tanzania Endangers Another Albino Victim

Corrupt Tanzanian officials have ejected a 28-year old albino woman from a safe house because they claim "no albinos have been attacked in [her village] in the last year." The woman lost both her hands in an attack, then courageously identified her attackers - who have yet to be brought to justice! While the mutilated woman's attackers have been captured, they have not been sentenced and may be released without further notice.

Luckily, a wealthy businessman who heard her story has opened his home to her for a year, Her father and four siblings, all of whom were living in the safe house village with her, are not so lucky; they have no choice but to return to the village where the attack occurred. They fear reprisal - especially since some of the attackers were found "not guilty" and they, and their relatives, live in the village!

The OddBlog has been covering this story for over a year now and I simply cannot believe the rest of the world is allowing this to go on! Tanzanian officials are some of the most ardent supporters of the witchdoctors whose "potions" are made of albino body parts. These officials, and the rest of this country, should be condemned!

This is a heartbreaking saga of mutilation, ignorance, and racism which the rest of the world has chosen to overlook. It sickens me; it truly makes me physically ill.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Death for Albino Witchdoctors

A Tanzanian court has sentenced three to die for the brutal killing of a 14-year old, albino boy. His legs were dismembered and sold for use in spells cast by witchdoctors meant to bring forth wealth and affluence. This is the first conviction since the murders began in earnest a few years ago. Tanzania's legal systems are notoriously corrupt.

While some experts say the sentences might curb some of the violence, others do not. The killers will appeal the verdict, but regardless of their conclusion(s), the market for albino body parts is simply too large and too strong to be stopped by a handful of executions. There have been over 50 albino murders in the region since 2007.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

African Leader Denies Cannibalism

Charles Taylor, the first African leader to ever be tried by an international court, denies allegations of cannibalism. Taylor faces 11 counts of war crimes - including such heinous acts as hacking off victims' limbs and conscripting child soldiers - and several of the soldiers who worked for him have given testimony concerning cannibalism.

One soldier said he ate human flesh with Charles Taylor during the meeting of a secret society, named Poro. Several of his men told the court he had ordered them to eat the flesh of their victims. This was a common practice amongst many barbaric tribes eons ago, which still exists in parts of the DR Congo, New Zealand, and elsewhere today.

Taylor said the allegations were "Total nonsense." He also told reporters, "It is sickening. You must be sick to believe it. It makes you feel like throwing up!" However, he confirmed that there are cannibals in the Sierra Leone area.

Charles Taylor denies all of the charges he is facing.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Tanzanian Albino Trials Begin

12 people are on trial for murdering albinos in Tanzania. The OddBlog has been bringing you reports of the situation: self-proclaimed "witchdoctors" in the African country are concocting and selling potions purported to make the imbiber wealthy. The potions are made of various ingredients, the most gruesome of which is ground bone from an albino. Over 40 regional albinos have been killed in the last 1¹/₂ years, alone.

While there have been numerous arrests, there have been no convictions. Affluential businessmen are said to be the witchdoctors' primary clientele and local police are among the most corrupt in the world. A single potion goes for thousands of dollars in a country where the average annual income is less than $300. Money like that buys a lot of "justice."

Now that the tragedy is getting major media attention worldwide, the ritual killings have abated to some degree these last few months, but albinos are far from safe. Entire families have been hacked to pieces inside their homes, as each part of their body can bring thousands of dollars. Their graves are cemented over to prevent tampering. There are more than 15,000 albinos in the area.

Last month, a similar trial started in neighboring Burundi. It involved a group of 11 men.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Soccer Riot Sparked by Rumors of Witchcraft

A soccer riot in the Congo which led to the death of 13 people (mostly children) was sparked by the rumor that one of the players was using witchcraft. Following a successful goal, a member of one team removed "stuff" from his shirt and threw it in the opposition's goal. According to an eyewitness, members of that team held him down and beat him on the field, claiming he had "thrown witchcraft into their net." Accusations of witchcraft are common in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and across the African continent.

According to early reports from a UN-backed media agency, police fired shots into the air in an attempt to calm a stirring riot, but the shots panicked the crowd instead. The "riot" was caused by soccer fans fleeing the stadium. The victims were stampeded. All suffocated, and only three were adults; most of the victims were aged 11-16.

Congolese officials claim their commander was hit in the head and wounded by the crowd, and that they shot in the air to protect him. Other reports say the police fired into the air to calm the crowd. While an investigation is underway, the fact that shots were fired was confirmed, but no mention of witchcraft was made. Upset teenagers took to the streets in protest.

Later reports indicate police fired tear gas canisters when their commander entered the fray on the field and was pelted with projectiles by the surging crowd. The eyewitness says the commander was among the dead, but the BBC has not confirmed that.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Man Bites Snake - Now This is News!

A Kenyan man bit the tail of a python to escape its deadly grasp, but there's oh so much more to this wonderful story:

Ben Nyaumbe said he "stepped on a spongy thing" and was suddenly in a fight for his life. The python, which he surmised had been preying on livestock, coiled around his leg, starting what would be a three-hour fight between man and snake.

Nyaumbe's tenacity and quick-thinking are all that saved him: he put his shirt over the serpent's head to keep it from swallowing him and got to his cellphone when the python released its grip at some point. When police arrived, they wanted to shoot the snake, but were afraid of injuring Nyaumbe.

Finally, Nyaumbe's boss and several villagers tied a rope to the snake and brought both serpent and entangled victim crashing to the ground. There, they managed to help Ben Nyaumbe free himself.

The single most interesting thing about this case is that the python dragged Ben Nyaumbe into a tree! Time and again, eyewitnesses have made claims to pythons swallowing children, even adults, as well as to the fact that truly large serpents exist. "Experts" have dismissed all such stories and explained-away most photographic evidence as trickery or illusion. According to most Western world "experts," no python grows large enough to swallow a man whole, regardless of the persistence of such stories, regardless of photographic evidence.

The Superintendent of the Malindi District where this occurred, Peter Katam, told the BBC, "If it wasn't for the villagers and officers who helped him, he would have been swallowed by the snake over the Easter holiday.

"It's very mysterious, this ability to lift the man onto the tree. I've never heard of this before."

Police took the python to a sanctuary, but it escaped. The village is now in fear of the beast, for which they say they "are still seriously looking." Supt. Katam added, "We want to arrest the snake."

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Gambian Villagers Kidnapped by Witchdoctors, Police

London-based Amnesty International reports that as many as 1000 Gambian villagers were rounded-up by police and taken to detention centers where witchdoctors forced them to drink "potions" and confess to practicing witchcraft. Many were elderly and many were beaten severely. The "potions" made many sick with diarrhea and vomiting and caused some to hallucinate.

Others were simply arrested and many reports indicate the military is leading this effort or, at the very least, participating alongside the witchdoctors. Hundreds of villagers have fled the area and one reporter who tried to investigate was arrested and charged with spying.

All of this started when the president's aunt died earlier this year. Her death was blamed on witchcraft.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Nigerian 'Baby Farms'

Recent police raids uncovered what authorities believe to be a network of "baby farms" across the region. According to reports, young women with unwanted pregnancies are being lured to facilities by promises of abortions, where they are locked-up and forced to give birth to children whom they are offered a token fee of under $200 to part with; other women "lease" their wombs to produce babies for sale. The children are then sold for anywhere from $2500-4000.

Reports of such practices began surfacing back in 2006, but proving them was hard. One dramatic raid last year captured a 50-year old gynecologist who had been luring ostracized, pregnant women with promises of abortions to a dusty hospital in Enugu, where he imprisoned them and raped them frequently. He then gave them about $170 for their unwanted baby. He was captured when he sold a woman a day-old infant she tried to smuggle into Lagos.

Around a dozen of these places - masquerading as maternity clinics, foster homes, orphanages, or shelters for homeless, pregnant girls - have been closed-down. In some cases, the doctors were inviting young men to impregnate the girls.

While the reports intimate the babies were being sold as adoptions, The OddBlog has been closely covering the ongoing Witchcraft trade in the region and believes some of the children may have been killed and mutilated as part of the many rituals witchdoctors in the area practice, and/or because they were believed to be "dæmonic."

© C Harris Lynn, 2008