Child sacrifice: Kamuli witchdoctor held over murder

Dec 28, 2016

The murdered child disappered two weeks ago before his decapitated body was found days later.

PIC: Police searched the shrine of suspect John Stephen Mukule, pictured extreme left seated and handcuffed. (Credit: Tom Gwebayanga)

EASTERN UGANDA - A 62-year-old man witchdoctor in Kamuli district has been arrested and remains detained at Kamuli Central Police Station over alleged participation in the sacrificial murder of a 12-year-old boy.

John Stephen Mukule was picked from his home by plain-clothed policemen in Kiyunga-Bugolo village in Mbulamuti sub-county on Monday.

This was after the beheaded decomposing body of Jimmy Lubaale was recovered in a sugar plantation in Kiyunga-Buduuli village two days before.

The suspected was arrested after his accomplices told police that Mukule had sent them on a mission to lure the young boy to his shrine.

Police searched Mukule's shrine after his arrest. (Credit: Tom Gwebayanga)


The two men, 17-year-old Emma Othieno and Awali Mbadwe, 18, had gone into hiding in Bugiri district but later arrested.

The murdered child, who was a Primary Six pupil at Bugolo Primary School, disappered two weeks ago before his decapitated body was found days later.

Busoga North police spokesperson Michael Kasadha said the head, lungs, heart and entrails were missing.

Othieno and Mbadwe told police they convinced the boy to take over the lucrative job of digging and pounding herbs in Mukule’s shrine.

He was promised a cash down payment of sh10,000 per day.

His younger brother, Joel Kiranda, with whom they were looking after their grandfather’s cattle, survived, having declined the offer.

The victim’s younger sibling Joel Kiranda is lucky to be still alive. (Credit: Tom Gwebayanga)


Lubaale right away agreed the offer before he was led by the two men to the sugarcane plantation where they handed over the ‘catch’ to Mukule.

Since then, the boy had gone missing, prompting a week-long search, before his body was recovered.

At the police station, Othieno and Mbadwe pinned Mukule, saying: “We handed over Lubaale to Mukule when he was still alive, and he knows where he hid the head.”

They revealed that after the ‘mission’ was accomplished, Mukule paid them sh50,000, before he told them to go into hiding in Mayuge district. While there, they added, Mukule told them on phone to hide further – that the Police were seriously hunting for them.

 Police searched for the missing head of the victim but in vain. (Credit: Tom Gwebayanga)

 

Mukule was charged with murder and is due to appear in court. (Credit: Tom Gwebayanga)


Rumors were rife around the village paths that every December, Mukule performs ritual murders to appease his ‘Jjajjas’ (forefathers) in order to attract customers, maintain and amass wealth.

On Monday, the Police went to Mukule’s two homes in search of the head but in vain.

Mukule has been charged with murder and he is due to be arraigned in court to answer the charges.

In November, unknown assailants slit the throat of eight-year-old Fayima Nabirye, in what many termed as a case of intended ritual murder.

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