Five-year-old boy sacrificed in Rubaga Division
In the past few weeks at least 12 children were kidnapped in and around Kampala. Of these 11 managed to escape the kidnappers. However, one of the children did not, writes <b>Joshua Kato</b>.
In the past few weeks at least 12 children were kidnapped in and around Kampala. Of these 11 managed to escape the kidnappers. However, one of the children did not, writes Joshua Kato.
EDRINE Muguluma was not lucky. His neck was slit in a terrifying case of child sacrifice.Muguluma was a son to Nsubuga Luzinda and Madiina Nabakooza of Lugala, in Rubaga Division. Muguluma was one of the brightest pupils in his class, at Step By Step Nursery School, Natete. He used to tell his classmates that he wanted to become either an engineer, a driver or a doctor.
In a photograph that the family has availed to the press, Muguluma was seen working on a wheel of a vehicle with a spanner.
Having been missing for over two weeks, Muguluma’s body was found early on Wednesday August 2. The body was buried in a polythene bag under a jack-fruit tree in Masanafu, Rubaga Division.
The jolly five-year-old appears to have fallen victim of human sacrifice. Nobody has come up with an explanation where and how children disappear, but they continue disappearing.
Muguluma’s parents spent much of the last two weeks at Old Kampala Police station, hoping to get their child and when the news came, it was terrible! As time moves on and days become weeks, they are loosing hope. “Why...Why is it our son?†They both ask, amidst sobs.
Mapeera Kintu, now in custody, who is suspected of killing the boy confirmed that Muguluma was sacrificed. He said he did it for ‘Doctor’ Emmanuel Nadomi, the proprietor of Life Care Clinic in Natete, who wanted to become rich!
The body was dug up a few metres away from Kintu’s father, Justin Mulindwa’s house. Mulindwa has denied any knowledge of the sacrifice. Police is still interrogating him.
Nadomi is a short, stout man with a round head, whose patients say he treats them well.
However, according to officials at Mulago, Nadomi did not complete his medical studies, thus is not qualified to be called a medical doctor.
“He was a student with us here, but he never completed his course about five years ago,†a doctor at Mulago said. Such person is, therefore not qualified to start a medical clinic, like Nadomi did.
Kintu, who is in his mid-30s, is a mechanic at Kiseka Market in Kampala. Kintu’s neighbours say he loved children, but nobody thought that he was up to no good.
But Kintu says, “I was approached by ‘Doctor’ to get him a child for sacrificing because we wanted to become rich.â€
Their evil minds settled for Muguluma, but according to Kintu, it was not possible to grab him because his parents were heavily protecting.
“The break through came after both Muguluma’s parents started working. We knew that as long as the boy is with the housegirl, we had a chance,†Kintu told police.
According to the police, Kintu contacted Aisa Nassimbwa, one of Nsubuga’s neighbours, who asked Muguluma to help her take a bottle to Kintu’s house. “That was the last time I saw Muguluma,†says Peace Nansubuga, the housegirl who was left to look after the boy.
“Nadomi was also waiting for Muguluma and as soon he entered Kintu’s house, Nadomi used chloroform to make him unconscious,†Kintu told police. The two later covered the boy in a mattress, that was loaded in the back seat of a special hire car.
Kintu told the Police that Nadomi had promised him sh3m for the boy. However, when Nadomi failed to pay him, he decided expose the deal.
However, Nadomi has denied any dealings with Kintu. He claims that Kintu is mad, but with the discovery of the boy’s body in the same manner as Kintu described it, the Police confirmed that Kintu is not mad. Another of Kintu’s relatives called Namayanja was also arrested for trying hide evidence.
How the body was found
Until Sunday, Kintu was insisting that after kidnapping the boy, he gave him to Nadomi who then killed him. Kintu had insisted that he did not know where the boy was buried.
Apparently, the Police and VCCU operatives got a tip from a close source that after Kintu and his colleagues killed the boy, they visited a traditional healer in Masaka.
Kintu and Namayanja were on Monday taken to the witch doctor’s shrine, who confirmed that Kintu visited him and asked for charms that could make the Police and Muguluma’s parents forget about the case.
“With this new revelation, he accepted that he knew were the boy was buried and agreed to lead us there,†a Police officer said.
On Tuesday morning, Kintu led a group of people that included VCCU operatives, Policemen and Maj. James Kinobe to where the body was found.
The Police say Kintu and his colleagues killed the boy at around 7:00pm and hid the body in one of his father’s stores. It is believed that Kintu and others buried the body after midnight.
How children are
kidnapped
In most cases, the kidnappers know the child or the parents very well. For example, Kintu had been friendly to Muguluma and the family knew him very well. “They even used to go to the beach together. We never realised that this was a ploy to trick him into trusting him,†says Nsubuga.
This was also the case in Kinawataka, where the kidnapper who knew the boy’s parents told the boy that his mum had told him to take him back home.
Grace Turyagunamawe, the Police commander, Kampala extra, says parents should not trust anybody with their children. “If you are not at home, give instructions to the housekeeper never to let the children out of their sight,†says.
He appeals to parents to discourage their children from boarding strangers vehicles.
Where are the kids taken?
Muguluma it is believed was sacrificed because Nadomi and Kintu wanted to become rich. This has been the main cause of sacrificing children for years. The process involves a witch doctor asking a client for a child of certain specifications as a sacrifice, before they can grant him access to wealth.
Others think that the many construction sites in and around the city are also a cause of sacrifices. About two weeks ago, residents of Kireka and Bweyogerere were stunned by a rumour that a huge tree, at the junction of the Northern-By-Pass and Jinja Road had asked for 10 children. The tree was, however, cut down without any problem.
Though not confirmed there is talk that some of the children are smuggled out of the country to Arab countries and sold as slaves. David Luyombya whose daughter Nakazzi was rescued, says his daughter was allegedly being taken to an Arab country.
The Police say, they are still investigating these allegations.
EDRINE Muguluma was not lucky. His neck was slit in a terrifying case of child sacrifice.Muguluma was a son to Nsubuga Luzinda and Madiina Nabakooza of Lugala, in Rubaga Division. Muguluma was one of the brightest pupils in his class, at Step By Step Nursery School, Natete. He used to tell his classmates that he wanted to become either an engineer, a driver or a doctor.
In a photograph that the family has availed to the press, Muguluma was seen working on a wheel of a vehicle with a spanner.
Having been missing for over two weeks, Muguluma’s body was found early on Wednesday August 2. The body was buried in a polythene bag under a jack-fruit tree in Masanafu, Rubaga Division.
The jolly five-year-old appears to have fallen victim of human sacrifice. Nobody has come up with an explanation where and how children disappear, but they continue disappearing.
Muguluma’s parents spent much of the last two weeks at Old Kampala Police station, hoping to get their child and when the news came, it was terrible! As time moves on and days become weeks, they are loosing hope. “Why...Why is it our son?†They both ask, amidst sobs.
Mapeera Kintu, now in custody, who is suspected of killing the boy confirmed that Muguluma was sacrificed. He said he did it for ‘Doctor’ Emmanuel Nadomi, the proprietor of Life Care Clinic in Natete, who wanted to become rich!
The body was dug up a few metres away from Kintu’s father, Justin Mulindwa’s house. Mulindwa has denied any knowledge of the sacrifice. Police is still interrogating him.
Nadomi is a short, stout man with a round head, whose patients say he treats them well.
However, according to officials at Mulago, Nadomi did not complete his medical studies, thus is not qualified to be called a medical doctor.
“He was a student with us here, but he never completed his course about five years ago,†a doctor at Mulago said. Such person is, therefore not qualified to start a medical clinic, like Nadomi did.
Kintu, who is in his mid-30s, is a mechanic at Kiseka Market in Kampala. Kintu’s neighbours say he loved children, but nobody thought that he was up to no good.
But Kintu says, “I was approached by ‘Doctor’ to get him a child for sacrificing because we wanted to become rich.â€
Their evil minds settled for Muguluma, but according to Kintu, it was not possible to grab him because his parents were heavily protecting.
“The break through came after both Muguluma’s parents started working. We knew that as long as the boy is with the housegirl, we had a chance,†Kintu told police.
According to the police, Kintu contacted Aisa Nassimbwa, one of Nsubuga’s neighbours, who asked Muguluma to help her take a bottle to Kintu’s house. “That was the last time I saw Muguluma,†says Peace Nansubuga, the housegirl who was left to look after the boy.
“Nadomi was also waiting for Muguluma and as soon he entered Kintu’s house, Nadomi used chloroform to make him unconscious,†Kintu told police. The two later covered the boy in a mattress, that was loaded in the back seat of a special hire car.
Kintu told the Police that Nadomi had promised him sh3m for the boy. However, when Nadomi failed to pay him, he decided expose the deal.
However, Nadomi has denied any dealings with Kintu. He claims that Kintu is mad, but with the discovery of the boy’s body in the same manner as Kintu described it, the Police confirmed that Kintu is not mad. Another of Kintu’s relatives called Namayanja was also arrested for trying hide evidence.
How the body was found
Until Sunday, Kintu was insisting that after kidnapping the boy, he gave him to Nadomi who then killed him. Kintu had insisted that he did not know where the boy was buried.
Apparently, the Police and VCCU operatives got a tip from a close source that after Kintu and his colleagues killed the boy, they visited a traditional healer in Masaka.
Kintu and Namayanja were on Monday taken to the witch doctor’s shrine, who confirmed that Kintu visited him and asked for charms that could make the Police and Muguluma’s parents forget about the case.
“With this new revelation, he accepted that he knew were the boy was buried and agreed to lead us there,†a Police officer said.
On Tuesday morning, Kintu led a group of people that included VCCU operatives, Policemen and Maj. James Kinobe to where the body was found.
The Police say Kintu and his colleagues killed the boy at around 7:00pm and hid the body in one of his father’s stores. It is believed that Kintu and others buried the body after midnight.
How children are
kidnapped
In most cases, the kidnappers know the child or the parents very well. For example, Kintu had been friendly to Muguluma and the family knew him very well. “They even used to go to the beach together. We never realised that this was a ploy to trick him into trusting him,†says Nsubuga.
This was also the case in Kinawataka, where the kidnapper who knew the boy’s parents told the boy that his mum had told him to take him back home.
Grace Turyagunamawe, the Police commander, Kampala extra, says parents should not trust anybody with their children. “If you are not at home, give instructions to the housekeeper never to let the children out of their sight,†says.
He appeals to parents to discourage their children from boarding strangers vehicles.
Where are the kids taken?
Muguluma it is believed was sacrificed because Nadomi and Kintu wanted to become rich. This has been the main cause of sacrificing children for years. The process involves a witch doctor asking a client for a child of certain specifications as a sacrifice, before they can grant him access to wealth.
Others think that the many construction sites in and around the city are also a cause of sacrifices. About two weeks ago, residents of Kireka and Bweyogerere were stunned by a rumour that a huge tree, at the junction of the Northern-By-Pass and Jinja Road had asked for 10 children. The tree was, however, cut down without any problem.
Though not confirmed there is talk that some of the children are smuggled out of the country to Arab countries and sold as slaves. David Luyombya whose daughter Nakazzi was rescued, says his daughter was allegedly being taken to an Arab country.
The Police say, they are still investigating these allegations.