The 2008-2009 Gambia Inquisition: Old Wine in a New Bottle

Year 2024, Issue: 4, 51 - 82, 16.01.2025

Akpojevbe Omasanjuwa

https://doi.org/10.26650/IAR2024-1550215

Abstract

This article examines an inquisition order issued by a former president of The Gambia, who hired witch-finders to eradicate alleged wizardry within the country. It presents a legal analysis, drawing comparisons with historical experiences from Europe, Africa, and Colonial America. The Age of Reason influenced the development of the English Law of Evidence, ultimately leading to the cessation of witchcraft inquisitions in England. However, this legal and ideological shift did not extend to colonial and postcolonial African states, largely because of distinct sociological factors. Consequently, the repugnancy clause in English law is inappropriate for addressing witchcraft-related cases in African contexts. The Gambian President’s actions, similar to the European and Colonial American witch-hunts in the past, were driven by ulterior motives that prioritized personal authority over the rule of law. This dynamic, coupled with the complicity of state agencies, has undermined the constitutional framework. The analysis shows that practices conflicting with constitutional principles render any legislative or judicial endorsement of such practices unconstitutional. By bypassing existing legal frameworks, the President’s approach mirrored the European inquisitions of the Mediaeval Era. This study underscores the importance of reevaluating African history through indigenous perspectives to develop alternative approaches to contemporary challenges, such as witchcraft accusations, while addressing the broader implications of historical legacies.

Keywords

Witchcraft, The Gambia, Inquisition, Witchcraft Litigation, Religion

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