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 trial not a trial by jury but a trial
by ordeal my friend
Audra is a farmer and has accused
another man of theft
since the accused thief Nick abou denies
the charge he and Agua will soon plunge
their hands into a pot of boiling oil
people here believe that the oil will
burn the guilty but lead the honest
unscathed it’s an extreme form of
justice and both men are convinced it
will work
we need to 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 war as a last resort
since Agua accused 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 Nick abuse persistent denial of
guilt the judges turn 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 alpha is first in line he
soaks his head and the sacred 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
nicob you must replace the stolen yams
and pay a fine of twenty 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
[Music]
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 trial not a trial by jury but a trial
by ordeal my friend
Audra is a farmer and has accused
another man of theft
since the accused thief Nick abou denies
the charge he and Agua will soon plunge
their hands into a pot of boiling oil
people here believe that the oil will
burn the guilty but lead the honest
unscathed it’s an extreme form of
justice and both men are convinced it
will work
we need to 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 war as a last resort
since Agua accused 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 Nick abuse persistent denial of
guilt the judges turn 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 alpha is first in line he
soaks his head and the sacred 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
nicob you must replace the stolen yams
and pay a fine of twenty 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
[Music]
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