Why are Jeri and Kat uptight about the term "witchcraft"? It says in the original link (and I assume in the second which I've not tested): "The teenager had refused to admit to sorcery and witchcraft and his punishments in a 'deliverance' ceremony became more horrendous." And, Jeri, what's with the "(sic)"?

It was claimed during the trial by the prosecution that the defendants were motivated, however insanely, by their belief in kindoki. Kindoka is a belief in witchcraft which is spreading like wildfire through western Africa, DRC in particular, mapping in some degree the penetration of evangelical Christianity into severely deprived communities. By some estimates it has infested more than 20 million people. The "priests" who identify the witches and perform the sometimes brutal exorcisms make a handsome living out of it.

The defence case was that the prime mover, Eric Bikubi, was mentally ill. This was rejected by the prosecution, and ultimately the jury, though it would have been plain to a man on a galloping horse that mental illness played at least some part in the horror. Kindoko has been behind much child abuse both in Britain and Africa, but there seems to be no recorded case of anything comparable with the depravity in this case. Here's a link to more of the story: Guardian backgrounder.

But why go with the evidence, when leeneia, in a spasm of imbecile speculation, has given us all the answers: "I suspect the boy was retarded, crippled or mentally ill and they wanted to get rid of him. Alcohol or something similar probably abetted the process." Thanks for that, leeneia. Very thoughtful.