Some politicians love to bluster about “having their opponents for lunch,” but how many actually have the stomach to turn that rhetoric into a gruesome reality? Below we tally 10 suspected cases where political power collided with literal cannibalism, whether as accusation, confession, or horrifying victimhood.
10 Suspected Cases of Political Cannibalism
10 Lon Nil Cooked And Eaten By Angry Cambodian Mob
In 1970, Cambodia experienced a violent coup that ousted Prince Norodom Sihanouk and installed Cheng Heng, with Lon Nol eventually rising to head of state by 1972.
The upheaval sparked heavy fighting on both sides, and one of the most notorious deaths was that of Lon Nil—brother of Lon Nol—who fell victim on March 28, 1970, after Prince Sihanouk publicly called on Cambodians to rise against the new regime.
The call sparked riots in Kampong Cham; Lon Nol dispatched his brother to assess the turmoil, only for Lon Nil to be dragged into a central market where a mob of Sihanouk loyalists brutally beat him to death.
Witnesses say the mob ripped open his chest, removed his liver, and prepared it in a nearby Chinese restaurant, then devoured the organ as a visceral expression of their fury toward Lon Nol.
Although Lon Nol eventually quelled the unrest in Kampong Cham, the Khmer Rouge seized power in 1975, forcing Nol into exile, leaving the gruesome episode as a stark reminder of the era’s savage brutality.
9 Johan And Cornelis De Witt Ambushed And Eaten By Dutch Peasants
The Dutch disaster year of 1672, known as the Rampjaar, saw the nation plunged into chaos, with Johan de Witt occupying the highest political office alongside his brother Cornelis.
On June 21, 1672, Johan suffered a severe knife wound and was removed from office in August; shortly thereafter, Cornelis faced accusations of plotting to assassinate William III, was arrested, tortured, and slated for exile.
When Johan visited his brother in prison just before the planned departure, both brothers were violently assaulted and shot by an organized militia, their bodies later displayed publicly.
It is widely believed that the enraged mob shredded the de Witt brothers, consuming parts such as their livers and eyes, turning political rivalry into a literal feast.
8 Victor Biaka Boda Wanders Off The Road And Is Never Seen Again
Victor Biaka Boda secured a seat in the French Senate in 1948, representing Côte d’Ivoire’s Democratic Party, only to become a target of French colonial suppression soon after his election.
The most plausible date for his disappearance is January 28, 1950, when his vehicle broke down near Bouaflé; while his driver repaired the car, Boda stepped away and never returned.
Investigators later uncovered scattered bones and personal effects in November of that year, yet the remains could not be definitively matched to Boda, fueling rumors that his constituents may have cannibalized him—a story that originated from a satirical French newspaper piece.
Regardless of the macabre conjecture, Boda’s death was officially recorded in 1953, confirming that something truly tragic occurred after he strayed from the road.
7 Bedel Bokassa Accused Of Keeping Enemies’ Corpses Hung Up In Cold Storage
Jean‑Bédel Bokassa ruled the Central African Republic—briefly renamed the Central African Empire—from 1966 until his overthrow in 1979, leaving a trail of brutality that included the murder of over a hundred schoolchildren.
During his trial, Bokassa downplayed the accusations, claiming, “I’m not a saint. I’m just a man like everyone else,” while former president David Dacko testified that human flesh had been discovered in Bokassa’s refrigerator, neatly trussed and ready for roasting.
Although prosecutors could not prove cannibalism beyond a reasonable doubt, Bokassa was convicted of all other charges and sentenced to death; the verdict was later overturned in 1988, commuting his sentence to life in solitary confinement, and he was eventually released under a 1993 amnesty.
6 Samuel Doe Dismembered To Prove That He Wasn’t Protected By Black Magic
Samuel Doe seized Liberia’s presidency in 1980 after a coup that eliminated President William Tolbert Jr., subsequently displaying Tolbert’s inner circle in their underwear before publicly executing them.
Doe’s regime was marked by rigged elections and a notorious massacre of over 600 worshippers inside a church; in 1990, a rival coup captured him, and footage shows him stripped to his underwear while politician Prince Johnson, sipping beer, ordered his men to amputate Doe’s ears, fingers, and toes to demonstrate that black magic offered him no protection, before the dictator was decapitated.
Persistent rumors allege that Johnson’s forces consumed parts of Doe’s body, but Johnson, now a senior senator from Nimba County, vehemently denies the claims, insisting that the Nimbaians are not cannibals and that even if he were, he could not have eaten Doe because the corpse had been embalmed with chemicals for 25 years.
5 Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo Accused Of Wanting To Eat His Enemies’ Testicles
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has ruled Equatorial Guinea since 1979, turning the nation into a long‑standing dictatorship where opposition parties are outlawed and the sole legal party bears his name, the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea.
In 2003, a government aide broadcast on national radio that Obiang could kill without accountability, claiming divine backing; over the ensuing decades, he has been accused of torturing and murdering countless opponents.
Exiled adversary Severo Moto first spread the bizarre rumor that Obiang believed strength came from devouring his foes, allegedly stating on a Spanish radio program in 2004 that the president wanted him to return to Guinea and eat his testicles, a claim that sparked international headlines.
4 Charles Taylor Accused Of Using Cannibalism As A Demoralization Tactic
Charles Taylor held Liberia’s presidency from 1997 until his ouster in 2003, during which he faced numerous foreign accusations of crimes against humanity, especially linked to the Sierra Leone civil war.
After his 2006 extradition from Nigeria, Taylor stood trial and was accused of personally eating human flesh and ordering his subordinates to do the same as a psychological weapon to terrorize opponents; he dismissed the allegations, calling them “sickening” and asserting that only a sick person could believe them.
In 2012, Taylor was convicted of terrorism, murder, rape, and other atrocities, receiving a 50‑year prison sentence; the presiding judge noted his responsibility for some of the most heinous crimes ever recorded.
3 General Butt Naked Drank A Lot Of Human Blood
In the early 1990s, Joshua Milton Blahyi—better known as General Butt Naked—commanded the notorious Butt Naked Brigade during Liberia’s first civil war, a force distinguished by fighters who fought entirely naked, with the few clothed members donning women’s garments and high on drugs.
Blahyi recounted a typical battle day: after heavy drinking and drug use, his troops would sacrifice a local teenager, drink the blood, strip down to their shoes, and charge into combat sporting colorful wigs and imaginary purses, cutting off heads and even using them as soccer balls, all while believing that bloodletting and nudity granted them bullet immunity.
Since converting to Christianity in 1996, General Butt Naked has expressed remorse, claiming that satanic forces once controlled him and drove him to such atrocities, and he now speaks out against the brutal practices of his past.
2 Idi Amin Suspected Of Engaging In Kakwa Blood Rituals
Idi Amin ruled Uganda from 1971 to 1979, cultivating a flamboyant public image that masked a regime responsible for up to half a million deaths.
His ethnic background belonged to the Kakwa, a group historically known for blood rituals that involved cutting flesh from a victim’s body and consuming it to neutralize the spirit’s vengeance; Amin allegedly kept human livers refrigerated, claiming, “It is customary in Kakwa culture to eat the enemy’s liver to cleanse the sin of murder.”
When pressed about the rumors, Amin often deflected with humor, famously remarking, “I don’t like human flesh. It’s too salty for me,” leaving the truth of the accusations shrouded in mystery.
1 Joseph Kony Abducts Children And Forces Them To Engage In Cannibalism
Joseph Kony heads the Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel group infamous for its operations across Uganda, where Kony claims divine authority as God’s spokesperson and seeks to reshape the nation into a theocratic state governed by the Ten Commandments.
Former LRA officer Francis Ongom has testified that Kony justifies murder, the killing of pigs, and even human slaughter by invoking biblical stories such as the Gadarene swine and the floods of Noah, framing these atrocities as divinely sanctioned.
The LRA’s brutal strategy hinges on abducting children, indoctrinating them, and compelling them to commit horrific acts—including drinking the blood of enemies and eating human flesh—to break inhibitions and foster loyalty.
Survivor Pamela Aber recounted a night when she and other captives were ordered to bite a 14‑year‑old girl attempting escape; despite their relentless biting, the girl survived, after which the rebels beat her to death with a log, illustrating the group’s sadistic cruelty.
While Kony once commanded several thousand fighters at the height of the LRA, recent estimates place his remaining force at fewer than one hundred, signaling a dramatic decline in his operational capacity.
David, the author, prefers aubergine pizza over human flesh; you can explore more of his work at CultureRoast.com and watch his videos on YouTube.com/CultureRoast.