Woman jailed 14 years over attempt to sacrifice own son

By Edward Anyoli      

NOT that she had taken another woman’s child to the shrine to be sacrificed for sh80m but her own ten years –old son.

High Court in Kampala presided over by Justice Jane Kiggundu sentenced Joyce Barua to fourteen years imprisonment for attempting to sacrifice her son in the shrine. She pleaded guilty to offence of child trafficking.

The particular of the offence is that  Barua  on January 27, 2011 at  Namuwongo  B  Zone, Makindye division being a mother  of Innocent   Edward Mani  transported  him from Isingiro district  to  Ibrahim Nyombi’s  Shrine for purpose of human sacrifice.

According to the summary of evidence, on January13, 2011 at about 9:00pm Barua approached a traditional healer Nyombi at his Shrine in Kisugu seeking to sacrifice his son.

Nyombi told Barua that it was getting late and gave her an appointment for another day to meet him, Nyombi deliberately postponed the plan and went and reported the matter to Kisugu police.

Meanwhile on January14, 2011 Barua travelled to Isingiro to pick her son Mani and travelled with him back to Kampala to   Nyombi’s shirine ready for sacrifice. A trap had been laid for her, unfortunately she was arrested before the boy could be sacrificed. She was later charged and remanded to Luzira prison.

While passing sentence, Justice Kiggundu noted that Barua had done a dreadful act which should be strongly condemned because it is socially, spiritual and morally wrong.

“One wonders whether such a mother deserves any mercy where her motherly instinct has gone. Mothers are known for caring for their children. Court has taken into consideration that she can reform and become a better citizen, but at 41 what reform will she really make?” Kiggundu said.

State Attorney Brian Kalinaki asked court to impose a stringent sentence saying child sacrifice has become rampant.

The judge however, noted that the period Barua had spent on remand saying court should exercise some leniency. 

As Barua sat in court waiting to be sentenced, she held a small Bible close to her chest and kept reciting rosary throughout. She had asked court for a lenient sentence saying she regretted the deplorable act she committed.