Masaka mob destroys home, plantation
Aug 09, 2010
A family in Masaka district is homeless and hungry after a mob destroyed their house and banana plantation.
By Ali Mambule
A family in Masaka district is homeless and hungry after a mob destroyed their house and banana plantation.
The panga-wielding residents of Kasaala village in Mukungwe sub-county on Friday morning attacked Godfrey Buyonje’s home, accusing him of witchcraft.
The local leaders handed over the witchdoctor, only identified as Mulemanjovu, to Kako Police Post, accusing him of staying in the village without notifying them.
Mulemanjovu also allegedly initiated Buyonje and his wife into witchcraft.
The raid followed reports that Buyonje and another unidentified person on Thursday kidnapped a 16-year-old girl identified as Bitijuma, and took her to his home, where they engaged her in acts of witchcraft.
“They smeared me with cow dung, blood and other stinking liquids,†Bitijuma said. “Buyonje then told Mulemanjovu that I had stolen matooke from his plantation,†she added.
Bitijuma reported the matter to the LC1 chairman.
“We went to Buyonje’s house in the morning but did not find him. Mulemanjovu was sleeping in Buyonje’s living room,†the area defence secretary, Ali Ssali, told The New Vision. He said the local authorities had decided to banish Buyonje from the village.
“We do not know who destroyed Buyonje’s house since we had taken Mulemanjovu to the Police post,†Ssali said.
Mulemanjovu said he only used his powers to identify the person who stole Buyonje’s matooke.
A family in Masaka district is homeless and hungry after a mob destroyed their house and banana plantation.
The panga-wielding residents of Kasaala village in Mukungwe sub-county on Friday morning attacked Godfrey Buyonje’s home, accusing him of witchcraft.
The local leaders handed over the witchdoctor, only identified as Mulemanjovu, to Kako Police Post, accusing him of staying in the village without notifying them.
Mulemanjovu also allegedly initiated Buyonje and his wife into witchcraft.
The raid followed reports that Buyonje and another unidentified person on Thursday kidnapped a 16-year-old girl identified as Bitijuma, and took her to his home, where they engaged her in acts of witchcraft.
“They smeared me with cow dung, blood and other stinking liquids,†Bitijuma said. “Buyonje then told Mulemanjovu that I had stolen matooke from his plantation,†she added.
Bitijuma reported the matter to the LC1 chairman.
“We went to Buyonje’s house in the morning but did not find him. Mulemanjovu was sleeping in Buyonje’s living room,†the area defence secretary, Ali Ssali, told The New Vision. He said the local authorities had decided to banish Buyonje from the village.
“We do not know who destroyed Buyonje’s house since we had taken Mulemanjovu to the Police post,†Ssali said.
Mulemanjovu said he only used his powers to identify the person who stole Buyonje’s matooke.