7/2/05 A witch doctor's prescription for the lovelorn: Slaughter three cows
A witch doctor's prescription for the lovelorn: Slaughter three cows
Andrew Robinson
IT is a cautionary tale of spiritual healing, slaughtered cows and potions hurled in rivers.
And it cost a Leeds woman hundreds of pounds when she used a "witch doctor" to try to win her partner back.
Maria Mannion visited a man called Mr Bamba, who advertises himself in Yellow Pages as a healer with 21 years' experience in getting rid of "black magic and evil cases".
After handing over cash, Miss Mannion was asked for some pubic hair before being handed "medicine" to throw in the River Aire.
Miss Mannion, 48, from Gledhow, Leeds, has urged vulnerable people to steer clear of Mr Bamba – who is now at the centre of a Trading Standards investigation.
The mother-of-two first went to Mr Bamba in April and paid a £20 consultation fee. She returned to his home in Luxor View, Harehills, Leeds, and was told to hand over £180.
She said: "He asked for a picture of my partner and started praying. Then he asked me to go into another room and cut some pubic hair which he put in an envelope.
"About two days later he rang me and I picked up some rubber things with tape around them. He said they had medicine in and I had to put one in my partner's chair, one in my pocket or handbag and the other in the river."
She claimed that later Mr Bamba asked for a further £1,000.
"I only had £600 and gave him that. He gave me two more bits of rubber and said to throw them in the river and me and my partner would 'float back together'."
She added: "I feel silly now but there's something about him and the way he looks into your face when he's talking."
Eventually she was told to slaughter three cows to save her relationship. Mr Bamba offered to have a friend in Africa do it for her – at the cost of £120 a cow.
West Yorkshire Trading Standards officials are to send him a warning letter about making certain health claims, but they don't have power to close him down.
A spokesman said: "We have been to see Mr Bamba who says he is going to give some money back to this woman, but there is a dispute about it."
Mr Bamba said: "I can't explain what I do, my English is not so good. I know what I am doing, I know what I am talking about. Spiritual healer is my work."
He added: "I can't tell you what I can do. My techniques are secret. I have to ask the spirit. I can't do anything before I have information from him. If I want him at any time I can call him."
MP Fabian Hamilton (Lab, Leeds North East) now proposes to raise the issue in the Commons. He said: "This is witch doctoring and I will be asking how people like this can set themselves up and exploit people in this way."
02 July 2005
Andrew Robinson
IT is a cautionary tale of spiritual healing, slaughtered cows and potions hurled in rivers.
And it cost a Leeds woman hundreds of pounds when she used a "witch doctor" to try to win her partner back.
Maria Mannion visited a man called Mr Bamba, who advertises himself in Yellow Pages as a healer with 21 years' experience in getting rid of "black magic and evil cases".
After handing over cash, Miss Mannion was asked for some pubic hair before being handed "medicine" to throw in the River Aire.
Miss Mannion, 48, from Gledhow, Leeds, has urged vulnerable people to steer clear of Mr Bamba – who is now at the centre of a Trading Standards investigation.
The mother-of-two first went to Mr Bamba in April and paid a £20 consultation fee. She returned to his home in Luxor View, Harehills, Leeds, and was told to hand over £180.
She said: "He asked for a picture of my partner and started praying. Then he asked me to go into another room and cut some pubic hair which he put in an envelope.
"About two days later he rang me and I picked up some rubber things with tape around them. He said they had medicine in and I had to put one in my partner's chair, one in my pocket or handbag and the other in the river."
She claimed that later Mr Bamba asked for a further £1,000.
"I only had £600 and gave him that. He gave me two more bits of rubber and said to throw them in the river and me and my partner would 'float back together'."
She added: "I feel silly now but there's something about him and the way he looks into your face when he's talking."
Eventually she was told to slaughter three cows to save her relationship. Mr Bamba offered to have a friend in Africa do it for her – at the cost of £120 a cow.
West Yorkshire Trading Standards officials are to send him a warning letter about making certain health claims, but they don't have power to close him down.
A spokesman said: "We have been to see Mr Bamba who says he is going to give some money back to this woman, but there is a dispute about it."
Mr Bamba said: "I can't explain what I do, my English is not so good. I know what I am doing, I know what I am talking about. Spiritual healer is my work."
He added: "I can't tell you what I can do. My techniques are secret. I have to ask the spirit. I can't do anything before I have information from him. If I want him at any time I can call him."
MP Fabian Hamilton (Lab, Leeds North East) now proposes to raise the issue in the Commons. He said: "This is witch doctoring and I will be asking how people like this can set themselves up and exploit people in this way."
02 July 2005
posted by Aestrea Raven at Saturday, July 02, 2005
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