Features stories of encounters with African Presidents, including the occasion when the author prevented a potential assassination attempt on President Kaunda's life. The author also describes, in dramatic detail, the relentless dangers of the political situation in Africa, with murders, petrol bombs, kidnappings and major fraud cases all occurring during his time there.
Stephen R. Matthew's first police posting near the Northern Rhodesian border with the Congo coincided dramatically with a time of horrific ethnic cleansing in the Belgian Congo area. At just twenty-one years old, Stephen was knifed, ambushed, stoned, shot and wounded by bow and arrow. His hand was broken several times.
Action-packed, unadulterated stories of those frantic and dangerous years are meticulously detailed here. This young police inspector found himself confronted by actions and terrifying events well beyond his understanding, whilst serving in the elite police force. He found that the police were fighting on two fronts; trying to protect the vulnerable citizens of the country whilst at the same time endeavouring to stop the slaughter of wildlife.
A stand-out, unique and comprehensive book, Murder, Witchcraft and the Killing of Wildlife depicts dramatic accounts of witchcraft-murders and cannibalism. Highly dangerous solo investigations are detailed, incorporating incidents of black magic, kidnapping, arson, gun-running and people trafficking.
Matthews, Stephen R.: - Stephen was born in Guernsey shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and later illegally deported to concentration camps in Germany with his family. After these horrendous events, Stephen and his family returned to Guernsey where he was educated at Elizabeth College.
Stephen went on to join the Northern Rhodesia Police in 1959, with the express purpose of helping to Africanise the force prior to independence. His investigations took him over a great deal of the country, investigating horrendous and dangerous crimes, and securing more than 125 convictions for wildlife poaching.
The recipient of a plethora of awards and commendations, Stephen married Dr Xue Fen Matthews and now spends much of his time living in both France and China.
Rabey Matthews, Stephen: - Stephen was born in Guernsey, Channel Islands shortly before the outbreak of W.W.II and later illegally deported to concentration camps in Germany with his family. He describes these horrendous events in his book 'The Day The Nazis Came'. Following liberation by Free French Forces in 1945 the family returned to Guernsey where he was educated at Elizabeth College. He undertook his business training with Maple & Co Ltd of Tottenham Court Road and later joined the Northern Rhodesia Police (A British Protectorate) in 1959, with the express purpose of helping to Africanise the force prior to independence. He underwent a series of intensive courses in Criminal and Civil Law, African Languages and Para-military training.
In five years of continuous service, Stephen was ambushed, stoned, knifed, attacked with a metal bar and seriously injured, wounded by bow and arrow and shotgun. He had his hand broken several times and his life was saved on several occasions by his dedicated team of African detectives and his loyal dog Alex, the Doberman (regarded as a witchdoctor by local tribesmen).
Stephen was even threatened twice with Court Martial, however, he gained a plethora of awards and commendations and was finally granted early promotion as the youngest officer ever so promoted in any British Colonial Police Force. He met with Presidents, such as President Tsombe of Katanga, and he personally foiled a potential assassination attempt on the life of President-Elect, Kenneth Kaunda. He personally saved Wild Geese Mercenaries from being ambushed in the Congo, tracked down an International Terrorist, investigated several witchcraft murders, and dealt with cannibalism, and he even took part in the search for the downed aircraft of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, still the subject of controversy to this day.
