Secret Societies Impact on Bad Politics in Mama Saleone

By: Ibrahim Sorie Shaw

On April 15th, 2019, Agnes Brima, an elderly farmer from Mandu Chiefdom, Kailahun district, left her small village home for the familiar path to her farmland. It was a journey she had made with devotion for decades, yet on that day, it became her last. Three days later, her lifeless body was found mutilated, her limbs severed and scattered across the very soil she had nurtured with her bare hands.
The horror of her death was undeniable, but to those who understand Sierra Leone’s darker political undercurrents, the message was all too familiar. It was not an isolated crime. It unfolded amidst the campaign to elect a new Paramount Chief, a period that has repeatedly become a fertile ground for secret societies to execute their ritualistic sacrifices under the guise of tradition, masking brutal political ambitions.

When the news of Agnes Brima’s murder reached the authorities, there was no urgency. A few common villagers were arrested, more as a performance than as a pursuit of justice. The real perpetrators those who orchestrate these killings from the safety of their influence remained untouched. As it’s often the case in Mama Salone, the powers are shielded while the powerless are paraded as scapegoats.

This has become a predictable pattern. As elections approach, the blood of the voiceless is shed. Farmers, traders, and innocent villagers become disposable, sacrificed at the altar of power by those who believe political ascendancy must be baptized in blood. What do they gain from such barbarism? Titles? Wealth? Influence? Are these prizes worth the destruction of human life?
The silence of the authorities is not merely an oversight; it is a glaring symbol of complicity or indifference. The lack of transparent investigations only reinforces the chilling notion that in Sierra Leone, some people are indeed above the law.

It is a national tragedy that in an era where crimes can be traced with advanced technology, we still grapple with rudimentary justice systems. Our villages, still ensnared by illiteracy, are left vulnerable to exploitation by secret societies whose influence grows in the shadows of ignorance and fear. The tragedy of Mandu Chiefdom in Kailahun district is not a singular event it is the result of systemic failures in governance, law enforcement, education, and moral leadership.
As a nation, we must confront a painful truth: a democracy soaked in blood is not a democracy at all. Until we demand full, independent investigations no matter whose names emerge the cycle of violence will continue. No one should be above the law, neither the elite nor the guardians of these secret rituals.

The soil of Mama Salone remains stained with innocent blood. The murder of Agnes Brima is not just a tale of one woman’s brutal end; it is a haunting reflection of a society teetering between tradition and terror. Until justice is served, we are all complicit in her death.
As Sierra Leone approaches the 2023 General Elections, the dark patterns witnessed in 2019 are re-emerging with alarming intensity. From whispered threats in chiefdoms to unexplained disappearances in politically tense communities, the specter of violence once again looms over our fragile democracy. The brutal tactics that claimed the life of Agnes Brima are not relics of the past they are warning signs of a present danger accelerating under our watch. We must not remain silent or passive. To the voters of 2023, demand accountability and reject candidates who thrive on fear. To the authorities, enforce justice without favor or fear, and dismantle the networks of impunity that shield the powerful. To the international community, shine your spotlight and lend your voice because democracy in Sierra Leone must not continue to be bought with blood. The time to act is now, before another innocent soul pays the price.