THE Police in Kabarole district are hunting for unknown assailants who murdered a 35-year-old man and mutilated his body.
Patrick Rwija, alias Bob, was murdered on Saturday night. His mutilated body was recovered at Kususu trading centre on the Fort Portal-Kasese road, about 4 km from Fort Portal town.
The acting Police commander, Charles Opira, said the killers cut off Rwija’s private parts and chopped off his tongue. He classified the incident as a ritual murder.
“Rwija’s private parts and tongue were missing. We suspect he was sacrificed,” Opiro told The New Vision.
“There are a lot of witchdoctors in Kasusu where the murder took place. We are going to scrutinise all the witch doctors operating in the area to identify those who are not licensed.”
Local sources said they last saw Rwija at midnight as he walked home after watching the Mountains of the Moon University beauty pageant at Garden’s Restaurant in Fort Portal town. “I am shocked by the manner in which uncle Patrick was murdered,” said his nephew, Edward Itoote, at Buhinga Hospital where the body was taken.
“I cannot imagine that we are going to bury half a person.”
Rwija is a peasant farmer who lives alone in a rented room in Kususu. He hails from Kibowa parish in Mugusu sub-county.
His nephew said occasionally he would travel to his family home, 10km out of Fort Portal, to tend to his garden.
According to the Police 2008 crime report, 25 cases of ritual murder involving 19 male victims were recorded last year. Of those, 20 were successfully investigated and the suspects charged in court.
The Police have set up an anti-human sacrifice and trafficking task force to coordinate intelligence and investigations and conduct public sensitisation on reports of alleged human trafficking and sacrifice.
