Is Uganda involved in skulls trade?
Oct 01, 2014
Last month, Police in Luwero said they stopped three men who were riding on one bodaboda. Then, the men fired at the Police.
By John Semakula & Kizito Musoke
Last month, Police in Luwero said they stopped three men who were riding on one bodaboda at night and that instead of stopping, the men just fired at Police, forcing them to respond.
One man, later identified as John Lubombwe, was killed and another, Umar Katende, was injured and arrested. The third, identified as Gerald Semata, escaped but was arrested later. They found in their bag a human skull!
Semata confessed that the skull belonged to Lubombwe who had been killed in the shooting. He said Lubombwe had only hired him at sh200,000 to exhume human skulls in Kamira Sub County. And that he did not know where Lubombwe takes the skulls but he thought he sold them to the rich people in Kampala for sh1m.
Police says it is still investigating
However, for months, Police in Luwero have been receiving reports about the increase in grave robbing and have suspected quark traditional healers to be behind the vice. However, after arresting the men on a motorbike, Police found a new lead linking the loss of the skulls to Kampala.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga, was not aware of any trade in skulls in Kampala or across borders and nobody has been arrested todate.
International connection
However, in July, Tanzania Police arrested eight people they found in possession of 85 bags containing body parts. Dar es Salaam police chief, Suleiman Kova, said the bags, which contained skulls, fingers, ribs and other human limbs, were discovered at a landfill site in the Bunju suburb.
Kova said the body parts were not fresh, were dry and produced no smell. The people arrested have links to the city's Institute of Medical and Training University (IMTU), a private medical teaching college. Police is still investigating whether there is a witchcraft or regional connection.
In neighbouring Burundi, Police arrested an Italian in possession of 40 skulls. He was trying to export some through Bujumbura Airport to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Giuseppe Favaro, 56, alias Kassim Abdoulgani, was arrested after his parcel was intercepted at Bujumbura International Airport. The first parcel contained two human skulls.
According to sources, Favaro had declared his merchandise as camera and organic materials. 38 other human skulls were impounded at his residence.
A 60-year old Burundi-born Congolese man, who Favaro said was his main supplier, was also arrested.
Favaro reportedly told police that the skulls were destined for scientific study in Chiang Mai, Thailand, home to a university specializing in medicine and dentistry. Later, however, officials from the institution denied the allegation.
Last week, Burungi Intelligence officials revealed that Favaro had for years been shipping parcels of varying sizes, sometimes paying up $650 (sh1.7) for larger boxes.
Could there be a link between grave robbing in Luwero, an alleged lucrative trade in Kampala and an international supply to Favaro and company?
Police has no clue
Ugandan Director of Interpol, Asan Kasingye, said that he was not aware but promised to follow up the matter and get back. He said Police had not received any information linking the Burundi skulls to Uganda.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said they have occasionally been arresting people who vandalize graves and charging them with disturbing the peace of the dead and trespass.
“Police has no clue that some suspects could have been trading in skulls,” he says. “With the information you have given us, we are going to expend our
However, Saturday Vision has established that human skulls started vanishing from graves in Uganda as early as in 2000. The New Vision of January 26, 2008 reported that in 2000, five people were arrested while sneaking into a mass grave at Katikamu Sun County headquarters.
The article also indicated that out of the 2000 skulls which were buried at Katikamu, almost half of them had been stolen by 2008. The grave robbers were said to be active in Kayunga District between 2007 and 2010 when they raided the Sub Counties of Busana, Kayunga and Nazigo and stole dozens of human skulls.
Grave robbers in Luwero
When Saturday Vision visited Kamira Sub County, about 10km from Luweero town, locals said that they were living in fear because of armed grave raiders who execute their business at night.
The L.C 1 Chairperson of Nabitaka village, Asuman Mbaziira, said he has seen more than five dismantled graves whose skulls had been robbed since the year began.
At first the locals suspected cannibals but later wondered why the thugs were not attacking fresh graves. The ‘robbed’ graves had common elements: Holes are blown into the grave wall on the upper part where the heads of the dead are positioned and thugs leave behind herbs spread around the grave, seemingly to disorganise the spirits of the dead whose peace they disturb.
In Kamira Sub County, residents said, more than 40 graves were raided since the year began.
The LC5 chairperson of Luweero district, Haji Abdu Nadduli, who also earlier suspected that quark traditional healers were involved in thriving vice, said they had started partnering with leaders of the traditional healers in the district to fight the vice.
Local Police speak out
The O/C CID at Mazzi Police Post, John Bosco Kawooya, said he first heard about such a case during the by-election of Luweero woman MP in May.
“We arrested the suspect, who confessed that he had been promised sh50,000 by someone in Kampala. We referred the suspect to Luweero police station from where he was taken to court and charged,” he said.
Kawooya said that since then, he had handled around five other new cases of robbed graves. He also suspected that traditional healers were behind the new vice.
Why human skulls?
According to the Daily Beast, online, Europe had an insatiable demand for human remains for research in the 19th century that exceeded supply until the British passed an Anatomy Act in 1832, which permitted doctors to take unclaimed corpses at the morgue in the name of science. By the end of the last century India had become the main suppliers of corpses.
But Africa was also reportedly considered a potential source of human skulls especially due to endless wars in which hundreds of people killed.
What locals say
Asuman Mbaziira, L.C 1 Chairperson of Nabitaka village, Kamira sub county, Luweero
I have seen more than five cases of invaded graves since the beginning of this year. In all these graves, only the skulls had been stolen. The lower parts remain. Residents are aware of grave robbers but fear because they move with guns. Even many graves are now in the bushes away from homesteads. Many people in the village migrated to urban areas. They only come during burials.
David Ntege, resident of Nabinaka village in Kamira Sub County
I got a call from Maruusi Nankya, a village mate, that my grandmother’s grave had been robbed. I hurried home to find a very big hole into the cemented grave. Only the skull had been removed and taken away. She was buried more than 30 years ago. I don’t know where to start from! We are looking for the people who did this.
Labhan Kimuli of Bugoloobi in Kampala
My father, Augustine Kiwanuka, was buried in 2002 at Kirolo village, in Gombe, Wakiso district. He was a prominent transporter, owner of a bus company known as North Buganda Transport Company in the 1970s and 80s. But we were shocked to find his grave raided and destroyed and some bones stolen. We have since tried to look for the culprits in vain. They can’t be night dancers because it happened many years after burial. It is unbelievable.
Richard Sebuguzi, resident of Mazzi village
These grave robbers are well coordinated. They don’t simply dig. They blow a hole into the grave on the upper part where there is head. Once they get the skull, they go leaving herbs spread around to disorganize the spirits. In Kamira Sub County, more than 40 graves have been attacked since the beginning of this year.
Mutyaba Muwanga, Luwero district chairperson of Uganda N’eddagala Lyayo ( traditional herbalists and healers association)
The problem is so rampant in Kamira and Kikyusa sub counties. Complaints came and we are still investigating. There are some people from Kampala. We hear skulls are good business there. They sell them to people who are building to reinforce the foundations of their houses. We are starting a campaign of scrutinizing all traditional healers. We met all heads of traditional healers in the district and agreed to iron out all pretenders.
You can’t just wake up one morning and become one. Our job is hereditary. We were selected by our ancestors in the presence of family members. It’s the spirits which decides the one to be.
Actually, real traditional healers are not even allowed to look inside a grave because the penalty is heavy; nine cows and nine goats, which must be eaten by the family members! Our culture does not allow robbing graves.
John Juuko, Vice chairperson, Luwero district Uganda N’eddagala Lyayo
The way graves are dug into is similar. On all graves in Nsaasi (in Luweero Town Council), Kamira and Kikyusa sub counties, we found tot packs of Vampire wine and similar herbs. It can’t be a coincidence! These are the same people!
Last month, Police in Luwero said they stopped three men who were riding on one bodaboda at night and that instead of stopping, the men just fired at Police, forcing them to respond.
One man, later identified as John Lubombwe, was killed and another, Umar Katende, was injured and arrested. The third, identified as Gerald Semata, escaped but was arrested later. They found in their bag a human skull!
Semata confessed that the skull belonged to Lubombwe who had been killed in the shooting. He said Lubombwe had only hired him at sh200,000 to exhume human skulls in Kamira Sub County. And that he did not know where Lubombwe takes the skulls but he thought he sold them to the rich people in Kampala for sh1m.
Police says it is still investigating
However, for months, Police in Luwero have been receiving reports about the increase in grave robbing and have suspected quark traditional healers to be behind the vice. However, after arresting the men on a motorbike, Police found a new lead linking the loss of the skulls to Kampala.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga, was not aware of any trade in skulls in Kampala or across borders and nobody has been arrested todate.
International connection
However, in July, Tanzania Police arrested eight people they found in possession of 85 bags containing body parts. Dar es Salaam police chief, Suleiman Kova, said the bags, which contained skulls, fingers, ribs and other human limbs, were discovered at a landfill site in the Bunju suburb.
Kova said the body parts were not fresh, were dry and produced no smell. The people arrested have links to the city's Institute of Medical and Training University (IMTU), a private medical teaching college. Police is still investigating whether there is a witchcraft or regional connection.
In neighbouring Burundi, Police arrested an Italian in possession of 40 skulls. He was trying to export some through Bujumbura Airport to Chiang Mai, Thailand. Giuseppe Favaro, 56, alias Kassim Abdoulgani, was arrested after his parcel was intercepted at Bujumbura International Airport. The first parcel contained two human skulls.
According to sources, Favaro had declared his merchandise as camera and organic materials. 38 other human skulls were impounded at his residence.
A 60-year old Burundi-born Congolese man, who Favaro said was his main supplier, was also arrested.
Favaro reportedly told police that the skulls were destined for scientific study in Chiang Mai, Thailand, home to a university specializing in medicine and dentistry. Later, however, officials from the institution denied the allegation.
Last week, Burungi Intelligence officials revealed that Favaro had for years been shipping parcels of varying sizes, sometimes paying up $650 (sh1.7) for larger boxes.
Could there be a link between grave robbing in Luwero, an alleged lucrative trade in Kampala and an international supply to Favaro and company?
Police has no clue
Ugandan Director of Interpol, Asan Kasingye, said that he was not aware but promised to follow up the matter and get back. He said Police had not received any information linking the Burundi skulls to Uganda.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said they have occasionally been arresting people who vandalize graves and charging them with disturbing the peace of the dead and trespass.
“Police has no clue that some suspects could have been trading in skulls,” he says. “With the information you have given us, we are going to expend our
However, Saturday Vision has established that human skulls started vanishing from graves in Uganda as early as in 2000. The New Vision of January 26, 2008 reported that in 2000, five people were arrested while sneaking into a mass grave at Katikamu Sun County headquarters.
The article also indicated that out of the 2000 skulls which were buried at Katikamu, almost half of them had been stolen by 2008. The grave robbers were said to be active in Kayunga District between 2007 and 2010 when they raided the Sub Counties of Busana, Kayunga and Nazigo and stole dozens of human skulls.
Grave robbers in Luwero
When Saturday Vision visited Kamira Sub County, about 10km from Luweero town, locals said that they were living in fear because of armed grave raiders who execute their business at night.
The L.C 1 Chairperson of Nabitaka village, Asuman Mbaziira, said he has seen more than five dismantled graves whose skulls had been robbed since the year began.
At first the locals suspected cannibals but later wondered why the thugs were not attacking fresh graves. The ‘robbed’ graves had common elements: Holes are blown into the grave wall on the upper part where the heads of the dead are positioned and thugs leave behind herbs spread around the grave, seemingly to disorganise the spirits of the dead whose peace they disturb.
In Kamira Sub County, residents said, more than 40 graves were raided since the year began.
The LC5 chairperson of Luweero district, Haji Abdu Nadduli, who also earlier suspected that quark traditional healers were involved in thriving vice, said they had started partnering with leaders of the traditional healers in the district to fight the vice.
Local Police speak out
The O/C CID at Mazzi Police Post, John Bosco Kawooya, said he first heard about such a case during the by-election of Luweero woman MP in May.
“We arrested the suspect, who confessed that he had been promised sh50,000 by someone in Kampala. We referred the suspect to Luweero police station from where he was taken to court and charged,” he said.
Kawooya said that since then, he had handled around five other new cases of robbed graves. He also suspected that traditional healers were behind the new vice.
Why human skulls?
According to the Daily Beast, online, Europe had an insatiable demand for human remains for research in the 19th century that exceeded supply until the British passed an Anatomy Act in 1832, which permitted doctors to take unclaimed corpses at the morgue in the name of science. By the end of the last century India had become the main suppliers of corpses.
But Africa was also reportedly considered a potential source of human skulls especially due to endless wars in which hundreds of people killed.
What locals say
Asuman Mbaziira, L.C 1 Chairperson of Nabitaka village, Kamira sub county, Luweero
I have seen more than five cases of invaded graves since the beginning of this year. In all these graves, only the skulls had been stolen. The lower parts remain. Residents are aware of grave robbers but fear because they move with guns. Even many graves are now in the bushes away from homesteads. Many people in the village migrated to urban areas. They only come during burials.
David Ntege, resident of Nabinaka village in Kamira Sub County
I got a call from Maruusi Nankya, a village mate, that my grandmother’s grave had been robbed. I hurried home to find a very big hole into the cemented grave. Only the skull had been removed and taken away. She was buried more than 30 years ago. I don’t know where to start from! We are looking for the people who did this.
Labhan Kimuli of Bugoloobi in Kampala
My father, Augustine Kiwanuka, was buried in 2002 at Kirolo village, in Gombe, Wakiso district. He was a prominent transporter, owner of a bus company known as North Buganda Transport Company in the 1970s and 80s. But we were shocked to find his grave raided and destroyed and some bones stolen. We have since tried to look for the culprits in vain. They can’t be night dancers because it happened many years after burial. It is unbelievable.
Richard Sebuguzi, resident of Mazzi village
These grave robbers are well coordinated. They don’t simply dig. They blow a hole into the grave on the upper part where there is head. Once they get the skull, they go leaving herbs spread around to disorganize the spirits. In Kamira Sub County, more than 40 graves have been attacked since the beginning of this year.
Mutyaba Muwanga, Luwero district chairperson of Uganda N’eddagala Lyayo ( traditional herbalists and healers association)
The problem is so rampant in Kamira and Kikyusa sub counties. Complaints came and we are still investigating. There are some people from Kampala. We hear skulls are good business there. They sell them to people who are building to reinforce the foundations of their houses. We are starting a campaign of scrutinizing all traditional healers. We met all heads of traditional healers in the district and agreed to iron out all pretenders.
You can’t just wake up one morning and become one. Our job is hereditary. We were selected by our ancestors in the presence of family members. It’s the spirits which decides the one to be.
Actually, real traditional healers are not even allowed to look inside a grave because the penalty is heavy; nine cows and nine goats, which must be eaten by the family members! Our culture does not allow robbing graves.
John Juuko, Vice chairperson, Luwero district Uganda N’eddagala Lyayo
The way graves are dug into is similar. On all graves in Nsaasi (in Luweero Town Council), Kamira and Kikyusa sub counties, we found tot packs of Vampire wine and similar herbs. It can’t be a coincidence! These are the same people!