#BBCAfricaEye goes undercover to investigate Sierra Leone’s secretive “money ritual” network – exposing criminals exploiting belief for profit, and the communities living in fear.
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Across parts of Africa, a long-held belief endures that using human body parts in magic ritual practices can grant power, wealth, or protection. This belief fuels a hidden criminal trade that leaves fear and grief in its wake.
The true scale of the practice remains difficult to quantify. Few African countries have laws that directly address ritual killings, and although hundreds of suspected cases were reported across local and social media in 2025, reliable statistics on its prevalence is scarce.
Having witnessed the aftermath of a killing in 2021, Africa Eye reporter Tyson Conteh investigates the problem of ritual murders in his own country of Sierra Leone. Going undercover, he sets out to expose the networks and individuals who claim they can provide human body parts for use in magic rituals.
Through covert filming, the team meet men posing as healers who say they can source body parts on demand, exploiting fear, belief and poverty for profit.
The film also highlights the efforts of traditional healers who, determined to protect their reputation, are working alongside the police to identify rogue practitioners and confront the criminal activity hidden within their ranks.
During filming, the story takes a deeply personal turn when Tyson’s cousin is found dead. Though the motive is still unconfirmed, many in the community suspect it was a ritual killing, heightening the atmosphere of fear surrounding these crimes.
00:00 Money Rituals: Africa’s Deadliest Taboo
04:26 A mother’s grief
08:10 Exploited cultural practice?
09:45 Traditionalist healers
12:31 Magic rituals and rogue witch doctors
13:51 Home of Secrets: Kanu boasts of his political connections
17:20 ‘When they want power, they come here.’
19:34 Tyson receives a worrying call
20:27 Her teeth were removed
23:11 A trade in body parts
28:14 Burying my granddaughter
29:14 Idara shares secrets of the trade
32:37 Council of Traditional Healers protect their mission
32:37 Bad herbalist, good herbalist.
34:00 Police raid as a deal is struck
37:00 The Chairman and the shrine
39:02 Search for evidence
40:52 Fatmata’s funeral
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