RDC ignored cannibal threat
May 04, 2004
THE death of several people at the hands of cannibals arrested on Sunday could have been averted if the office of the resident district commissioner (RDC) responded to warnings
BY Arthur Baguma
THE death of several people at the hands of cannibals arrested on Sunday could have been averted if the office of the resident district commissioner (RDC) responded to warnings, residents said yesterday.
Residents have accused deputy RDC Nakazaana Kiingi of refusing to act on complaints against the cannibals when she was in charge of Mityana sub-district. Nakazaana is now deputy RDC Kamuli.
The residents and local officials of Kinvunikide, Bbuye, said they reported the matter to Nakazaana after a seven-year-old child vanished last year.
The child disappeared and and fingers pointed at James Kityo, Harriet Nambogo and Rogers Katumba now under the Police custody in Mubende. Nakazaana yesterday said, “I never heard of a child who went missing and was never seen again. I remember one incident in Bulera where a child went missing, but he was found. It was actually a relative who had taken the boy. I don’t know of any incident where those cannibals were brought to my attention. Why didn’t they report to the Police if I refused? When such things happen, people make all sorts of allegations. I can’t condone such acts. Those must be anti-Movement forces following me,†she said on telephone.
About allegations of being a sympathiser of traditional healers, Nakazaana said, “I remember there was a case which involved a traditional healer and Bbuye Umea Muslim primary school. A certain Muslim was suspicious of the traditional healers’ acts near the school. I interrogated the man and discovered that he had shrines but used them with his family for rituals and only during the day. The man complained because he is a Muslim who didn’t believe in some traditional practices. I don’t remember his name, but that man is still at Bbuye.â€
Meanwhile, the people who had vital information about the three cannibals have since died of strange diseases. One was Aisha Magingo, the wife of Abdhallah Mazinga, the area LC secretary for defence.
“Most of the people who had incriminating evidence against the cannibals died. One was my wife. All she said on her death bed was, “I have died because of those men.â€â€™ Another woman, Betty Nabuta, also died of a strange disease. A Sekabira lost his child and when the wife was on her death-bed she shifted to another area. The RDC let us down,†Mazinga said.
Meanwhile, Robert Ale reports that the suspects have been transferred to Mubende Central Police Station for further interrogation and to save them from irate crowds intent on breaking into the prison to lynch them.
Mubende Police chief Pontius Barisigara said they were being interrogated over their alleged dependence on human flesh.
Barisigara said the suspects told Police that they inherited cannibalism from their parents.
The suspects said last month they ate two corpses of men, one from Kiganda sub-county and the other from Sekanyonyi sub-county.
They confessed to cannibalism but denied murdering any person.
THE death of several people at the hands of cannibals arrested on Sunday could have been averted if the office of the resident district commissioner (RDC) responded to warnings, residents said yesterday.
Residents have accused deputy RDC Nakazaana Kiingi of refusing to act on complaints against the cannibals when she was in charge of Mityana sub-district. Nakazaana is now deputy RDC Kamuli.
The residents and local officials of Kinvunikide, Bbuye, said they reported the matter to Nakazaana after a seven-year-old child vanished last year.
The child disappeared and and fingers pointed at James Kityo, Harriet Nambogo and Rogers Katumba now under the Police custody in Mubende. Nakazaana yesterday said, “I never heard of a child who went missing and was never seen again. I remember one incident in Bulera where a child went missing, but he was found. It was actually a relative who had taken the boy. I don’t know of any incident where those cannibals were brought to my attention. Why didn’t they report to the Police if I refused? When such things happen, people make all sorts of allegations. I can’t condone such acts. Those must be anti-Movement forces following me,†she said on telephone.
About allegations of being a sympathiser of traditional healers, Nakazaana said, “I remember there was a case which involved a traditional healer and Bbuye Umea Muslim primary school. A certain Muslim was suspicious of the traditional healers’ acts near the school. I interrogated the man and discovered that he had shrines but used them with his family for rituals and only during the day. The man complained because he is a Muslim who didn’t believe in some traditional practices. I don’t remember his name, but that man is still at Bbuye.â€
Meanwhile, the people who had vital information about the three cannibals have since died of strange diseases. One was Aisha Magingo, the wife of Abdhallah Mazinga, the area LC secretary for defence.
“Most of the people who had incriminating evidence against the cannibals died. One was my wife. All she said on her death bed was, “I have died because of those men.â€â€™ Another woman, Betty Nabuta, also died of a strange disease. A Sekabira lost his child and when the wife was on her death-bed she shifted to another area. The RDC let us down,†Mazinga said.
Meanwhile, Robert Ale reports that the suspects have been transferred to Mubende Central Police Station for further interrogation and to save them from irate crowds intent on breaking into the prison to lynch them.
Mubende Police chief Pontius Barisigara said they were being interrogated over their alleged dependence on human flesh.
Barisigara said the suspects told Police that they inherited cannibalism from their parents.
The suspects said last month they ate two corpses of men, one from Kiganda sub-county and the other from Sekanyonyi sub-county.
They confessed to cannibalism but denied murdering any person.