Nine Kibaale families escape lynching over witchcraft
Sep 08, 2011
Nine families comprising over 46 members have camped at Muhorro sub-county headquarters in Kibaale district for fear of being killed by fellow residents.
BY ISMAEL KASOOHA
Nine families comprising over 46 members have camped at Muhorro sub-county headquarters in Kibaale district for fear of being killed by fellow residents.
This followed the destruction of their homes by furious residents of Nyakasozi village in Kibaale district who accused them of witchcraft. The residents also killed domestic animals and destroyed gardens.
The families with over 30 children, aged below 10 years, are left with hardly anything to eat. Their homes were demolished on Saturday at about 8:00pm.
Residents accused the victims of practising witchcraft, saying some people had died of mysterious illnesses. The torched houses belonged to Jeffrey Tindarwesire, David Kyalikunda, Obed Tumusiime and Thomas Biramahire. They were residents of Nyakasozi trading centre.
Residents asked the Government to evict the families from the area. “We are fed up of witches who are disturbing the peace in our area. We suspect these are the very people causing havoc,†said Ayubu Musanyusa, one of the residents.
A wife to one of the suspects, Kedress Tindarwesire, said she saw a group of people setting fire to their house in the night. Tindarwesire, however, said she could not recognise any of them.
Meanwhile, the Police have arrested eight people suspected to have incited residents into setting ablaze houses of the families. The suspects were detained at Kagadi Police Station. They were identified as Noah Habyarimana, Rogers Kyalimpa, Karoli Maniragaba and Josephat Twesigye.
Others were Robert Turyahikayo, Kabera Besigensi, John Byabasaija and Ronald Tugumisirize. They are all residents of the same area.
Nine families comprising over 46 members have camped at Muhorro sub-county headquarters in Kibaale district for fear of being killed by fellow residents.
This followed the destruction of their homes by furious residents of Nyakasozi village in Kibaale district who accused them of witchcraft. The residents also killed domestic animals and destroyed gardens.
The families with over 30 children, aged below 10 years, are left with hardly anything to eat. Their homes were demolished on Saturday at about 8:00pm.
Residents accused the victims of practising witchcraft, saying some people had died of mysterious illnesses. The torched houses belonged to Jeffrey Tindarwesire, David Kyalikunda, Obed Tumusiime and Thomas Biramahire. They were residents of Nyakasozi trading centre.
Residents asked the Government to evict the families from the area. “We are fed up of witches who are disturbing the peace in our area. We suspect these are the very people causing havoc,†said Ayubu Musanyusa, one of the residents.
A wife to one of the suspects, Kedress Tindarwesire, said she saw a group of people setting fire to their house in the night. Tindarwesire, however, said she could not recognise any of them.
Meanwhile, the Police have arrested eight people suspected to have incited residents into setting ablaze houses of the families. The suspects were detained at Kagadi Police Station. They were identified as Noah Habyarimana, Rogers Kyalimpa, Karoli Maniragaba and Josephat Twesigye.
Others were Robert Turyahikayo, Kabera Besigensi, John Byabasaija and Ronald Tugumisirize. They are all residents of the same area.