today in West Africa most towns have
official government ports but in many
criminal matters local Chiefs still rule
supreme and their tools of justice can
be severe in the village of Kabu in
northern Togo two men are being called
to try not a trial by jury but a trial
by ordeal my friend ad VII is a farmer
and has accused another man of theft
since the accused thief Nick abou denies
the charge he and oddball will soon
plunge their hands into a pot of boiling
oil people here believe that the oil
will burn the guilty but leave the
honest unscathed it’s an extreme form of
justice and both men are convinced it
will work we need the oil in order to
know if he is a thief or not if he
didn’t steal
then the fire will burn me who’s up to
me we would have already resolved this
with the oil when we do the oil the
truth will come out in Togo a trial by
boiling oil has only called
or as a last resort since agua cused
Nick abou of theft they must both go in
front of the town elders and plead their
case and see if oil is necessary with no
hard evidence and nikka booze persistent
denial of guilt the judges turned to the
oil for both accuser and accused a trial
by oil as a measure of their conviction
let’s go the oil has reached its final
boiling point the moment of truth is
upon both men
I’ll buzz first in line he soaks his
head in the secret herbs put your hand
in the pot and then take out the ring
without hesitation
oddvar reaches into the oil and
retrieves the ring immediate relief is
close at hand unlike in a western court
here the burden of proof rests on the
accused and the accuser Nicodemus next
this fear is apparent all put your hand
in you say you are not guilty
put your hand in face to face with the
oil and the jeering crowd
nikka boo relax amazingly this extreme
ordeal has identified the thief are you
guilty or aren’t you okay I’m guilty I’m
guilty bring us the yams that are left
now do you accept yes for his crime
Mickey boo must replace the stolen yams
and pay a fine of 20 dollars roughly a
month’s salary
following tradition he will also present
the chief with a ram and a white cop
you have betrayed us
chances are Nick abou will think twice
before stealing his friends yams again
official government ports but in many
criminal matters local Chiefs still rule
supreme and their tools of justice can
be severe in the village of Kabu in
northern Togo two men are being called
to try not a trial by jury but a trial
by ordeal my friend ad VII is a farmer
and has accused another man of theft
since the accused thief Nick abou denies
the charge he and oddball will soon
plunge their hands into a pot of boiling
oil people here believe that the oil
will burn the guilty but leave the
honest unscathed it’s an extreme form of
justice and both men are convinced it
will work we need the oil in order to
know if he is a thief or not if he
didn’t steal
then the fire will burn me who’s up to
me we would have already resolved this
with the oil when we do the oil the
truth will come out in Togo a trial by
boiling oil has only called
or as a last resort since agua cused
Nick abou of theft they must both go in
front of the town elders and plead their
case and see if oil is necessary with no
hard evidence and nikka booze persistent
denial of guilt the judges turned to the
oil for both accuser and accused a trial
by oil as a measure of their conviction
let’s go the oil has reached its final
boiling point the moment of truth is
upon both men
I’ll buzz first in line he soaks his
head in the secret herbs put your hand
in the pot and then take out the ring
without hesitation
oddvar reaches into the oil and
retrieves the ring immediate relief is
close at hand unlike in a western court
here the burden of proof rests on the
accused and the accuser Nicodemus next
this fear is apparent all put your hand
in you say you are not guilty
put your hand in face to face with the
oil and the jeering crowd
nikka boo relax amazingly this extreme
ordeal has identified the thief are you
guilty or aren’t you okay I’m guilty I’m
guilty bring us the yams that are left
now do you accept yes for his crime
Mickey boo must replace the stolen yams
and pay a fine of 20 dollars roughly a
month’s salary
following tradition he will also present
the chief with a ram and a white cop
you have betrayed us
chances are Nick abou will think twice
before stealing his friends yams again
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