Dr. Sheku Tarawallie, President Council of Traditional Healers- Sierra Leone (COTH-SL)
“The Council would like to clearly state to the public that it does not support reckless practice of herbalism nor does it hold it as an objective to disrespect and disgrace women,” a recent press release from the Council of Traditional Healers- Sierra Leone (COTH-SL) has stated.
This is after a 42-year-old herbalist in the Northern town of Mile 91 was arrested and detained by the Sierra Leone Police for allegedly carrying on his mobile phone and putting out to the public sexual videos of women he had slept with in the town with influence of his work as a herbalist.
Issa Fullah, the herbalist, was arrested together with one Mahmoud Ishmail who’s also been accused of sharing the sex videos of the unfortunate women on social media to go viral.
“The videos are of women who had visited his shrine with the hope of having their problems fixed traditionally. He had lured his victims into having sex with him with the pretext that he was going to solve their problems.”
The Council considers the action of Issa Fullah as reckless herbalism and has distanced itself from what it refers to as “an awful and disgraceful act by the said herbalist against our women.”
“The Council would also want to bring it to the notice of Sierra Leoneans, particularly the people of Tonkolili District, that the said Issa Fullah is not registered with the traditional healers’ council and therefore not certified to practise as a herbalist in Sierra Leone,” their release adds, pointing out:
“The COTH-SL is a law abiding institution which respects women irrespective of their status in the society. It is also obliged to respect human and people’s rights. We are therefore urging the police to thoroughly investigate the issue and bring the culprits to face the law.”
“COTH-SL wants to reregister its commitment to decent practices and its pledge to upholding the laws of the country.”
