BANJUL (Reuters) - A 28-year-old man accused of stealing a man's penis through sorcery was beaten to death in the West African country of Gambia on Thursday, police said.

A police spokesman told Reuters that Baba Jallow was killed by about 10 people in the town of Serekunda, nine miles from the capital Banjul.

Reports of penis snatching are not uncommon in West Africa, with purported victims claiming that alleged sorcerers simply touched them to make their genitals shrink or disappear in order to extort cash in the promise of a cure.

The police spokesman said many men in Serekunda were now afraid to shake hands, and he urged people not to believe reports of "vanishing" genitals. Belief in sorcery is widespread in West Africa.

Seven alleged penis snatchers were beaten to death by angry mobs in Ghana in 1997.

Yahoo! News

I recall reading something of this nature.
I dunno know if it's in West Africa, tho.
Supposedly, men have a fear of their penis shrinking/becoming internal like a turtle's head. To help the men overcome their fear, other members of the tribe hold on to his penis as well. Sometimes they create a special box to place their penis....the box works like a hand...hold's his penis so it doesn't shrink and fold in on its self.
It's not that they actually shrink, it's just a cultural thing/fear...

There are episodes of mass hysteria that break out from time to time. I will find out more.

Well, it's certainly different from the usual stuff I hear... But I'm saying that in a good way. I think....

Hehe, I like these smilie things.

AnimangaBloodThorn<--------------Is easy to amuse.

Cya!

Better than being beaten to death by one, eh?

You obviously haven't heard of the Beastly Breast-Snatchers of Borneo.

I'm sorry but that's unatural.

I read about this when I was researching for my history final. I was writing a paper on witch hunts and social fears concerning witches. Luckily, this is one of only a few places in the world where supposed witches are killed (I say this is good considering that not too long ago historically witch killings were rampant in Europe and America, not to mention other parts of the so-called "civilized world").

I find this a very earnest, if not irrational, fear to have. If there was one thing on this earth you wouldn't want to have stolen...... lol

How come whenever someone links to a yahoo story, and i click it, the links are always broken for me?

Only on Yahoo could the words penis and beating appear in the same headline without offending anyone!

Thats... odd. I don't think I believe it. I think those 'victims' were just trying for an excuse to beat the man to death for stealing their wallet or something.

I never heard a stranger story than this one.

W......................................T.......................................F.......................................??????????????????

Oh.......Kay........i don't really have much to say bout that.....

They would have a hell of a time getting to mine with my hand covering it, LOL