• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

Panama uncovers new mass grave linked to human sacrifice

by The Online Citizen
15/09/2020
in International
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

An authentic thatched hut in the indigenous territory in Panama

Authorities in Panama have discovered a new mass grave in a remote area where in January they found the remains of seven people that police believe were tortured and killed by a religious sect.

Prosecutors said Monday they believe a different sect is responsible for the new mass grave, however.

The state prosecutor’s office said investigators were supervising the exhumation of skeletal remains from the site in the indigenous Ngabe Bugle region, 350 kilometers (210 miles) north of the capital.

“At this time it is not possible to determine either the sex or the number of people” found in the grave, Azael Tugri, a public prosecutor in the indigenous district of Nurum, told local media.

Tugri said investigators had to hike for 10 hours through mountains to reach the site, near the source of the Chucara River.

Panama’s Aeronaval Service (SENAN) said in a statement the grave was located after a painstaking month-long search.

Pictures of the site released by the prosecutor’s office showed officials in white coveralls digging in the dirt under thick vegetation.

Panama’s TVN-2 channel showed images of what appeared to be bone fragments displayed on a white sheet.

The latest grisly discovery is being linked by investigators to the dismantling last month of a suspected sect and the arrest of its leader, a source close to the investigation told AFP.

SENAN officials linked the grave site to the “alleged rape and mistreatment of minors” by the religious group.

The authority said evidence from the grave had already been sent to a police base in Santiago de Veraguas, 250 kilometers southwest of Panama City, for forensic examination.

Authorities have altogether made five arrests in the case, and rescued three minors, a 14 and 10-year-old as well as a three-month-old baby, according to the prosecutor’s office.

If confirmed, the apparent mass killing would be the second carried out by a sect in the Central American country this year — although authorities say there is no link to the “God’s New Light” sect responsible for the grave discovered in January.

Then, investigators uncovered a mass grave in Altos del Terron — an isolated community in the indigenous region — containing the remains of a pregnant woman and six children aged from one to 17.

The bodies had wounds consistent with being beaten.

Days later Bibles, messages alluding to the devil and a heap of rope could still be seen at the site of the massacre — a makeshift church in dense jungle that was used by the sect.

Police suspected “God’s New Light” leaders were involved in brutal exorcisms, and raided a church used by the sect, arresting 10 people and rescuing 15 others.

Police believe the victims were “tortured and sacrificed” and that the other 15 people would have been, too.

The public prosecutor’s office said later that the 10 suspects had tied up their victims and beat them to death with Bibles, sticks and machetes.

Survivors told them the sect leader claimed he was carrying out God’s orders to “remove the demon” from the victims in a violent exorcism.

– AFP

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.
Tags: AFPPanama

Related Posts

WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status
AFP

WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status

27/01/2023
Chinese property giant Evergrande under ‘tremendous pressure’
China

Chinese property giant Evergrande under ‘tremendous pressure’

14/09/2021
Australia’s capital Canberra to enter virus lockdown
Health

Virus lockdown extended for Australia’s capital

14/09/2021
Messenger RNA COVID vaccines 66% effective against Delta: US study
Health

UK to vaccinate over 12s against COVID

14/09/2021
Politics

Facebook shields VIPs from some of its rules: report

14/09/2021
Malaysian PM, opposition in deal to boost stability
Malaysia

Malaysian PM, opposition in deal to boost stability

14/09/2021
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Market ignores Adani’s 413-paged rebuttal against Hindenburg’s allegation and continues the sell-off

01/02/2023
Driver dies after vehicle fell into sea at Keppel Terminal

Driver dies after vehicle fell into sea at Keppel Terminal

01/02/2023
One pilot dead after Vietnamese military fighter jet crash

One pilot dead after Vietnamese military fighter jet crash

31/01/2023
Japan and NATO pledge ‘firm’ response to China, Russia threats

Japan and NATO pledge ‘firm’ response to China, Russia threats

31/01/2023
Japanese junior high school sprinter breaks another record in prefectural race

Japanese junior high school sprinter breaks another record in prefectural race

31/01/2023
Malaysia PM stressed the need for people to be allowed to effectively and actively participate in civil society

Malaysia PM stressed the need for people to be allowed to effectively and actively participate in civil society

31/01/2023
Million-dollar overpayments made by various ministries, public agencies highlighted in sampled audit by Auditor-General Office amongst various lapses

Singapore ranked least corrupt country in Asia, fifth in the world

31/01/2023
China angered by new Czech president’s Taiwan call

China angered by new Czech president’s Taiwan call

31/01/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
19

...

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
41

...

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

by Yee Loon
26/01/2023
24

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
66

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
58

...

Ho Ching breaks silence over Temasek’s write down of its US$275 million investment in FTX, says it “can afford to be contrarian”

US regulator questions VCs’ due diligence work prior to investing in FTX; Ho Ching says Temasek can afford to be contrarian

by The Online Citizen
24/01/2023
28

...

September 2020
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930  
« Aug   Oct »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

wpDiscuz