Student survives ritual murder

CRIME        RITUAL MURDER

Three people have been detained by Police over practicing rituals and burning Enock Ssemugabi's face in a bid to initiate him into witchcraft.

The police spokesperson Kampala metropolitan Patrick Onyango has identified the suspects as Robert Kayita, the victim's father, Marion Nasuna, stepmother and Winfred Nabuma his aunt.

Onyango revealed that suspects will be charged with causing grievous harm to their child.

"Police investigations are done; the file has already been forwarded to the Resident  State attorney of Wakiso Magistrates' Court. The suspects will be charged with grieves harm," Onyango said.

 Ssemugabi a senior two student at Oxford Secondary School, Kyebando-Nansana in Wakiso district is now in critical condition and receiving treatment at Kiruddu Referral Hospital in Kampala.

Ssemugabi added that he was forced to drink ‘sheep blood', and various herbs that later made him unconscious.

It was after his unconsciousness that he was tied to a table and his face scalded.

 "They tied my legs on top of a table, aunt Nabuma sat on my chest and my head was left hanging towards the boiling water that was on a charcoal stove, then daddy held my hands and shoulders tightly.

Then step mum covered my hanging head towards boiling water with a big blanket and this left my face burnt," Ssemugabi said in presence of his mother Prossy Wanyana who has been keeping 24-hour surveillance at the hospital bed.

Ssemugabi said he has survived numerous stabs by his father.

"On several occasions, I have been assaulted and even stabbed in what I believe was my father's attempt to kill me. The most recent one is when I refused to participate in their rituals but instead went to church. When I returned,  they bundled me up and took me to a shrine in Mpigi district that belonged to ‘Ssalongo'.

While there, they severely hit my head with a hammer, but it surprised them when I gained consciousness," he said.