Uganda: Suspected witch doctor arrested over death of woman in Mbale

Police in Mbale City are holding Mr Kharim Mwima, a suspected witch doctor, after a woman named Jennifer Khainza reportedly died from his shrine located in Kasanja (A) village, Northern Division.

Mr Rogers Taitika, the Elgon Region Police spokesperson, confirmed the arrest of Mwima, whom he said will guide the ongoing investigation.

"We are investigating to find out the exact cause of death, and we have already forwarded the body for postmortem," he said.

Mwima's arrest followed a joint operation by police in partnership with Project Rescue Children Foundation and Cherished Children Foundation, with whom they have been working to end such heinous acts.

"We keep on working with various institutions so that we sensitise the masses to do the right things in terms of seeking medical help. We call upon the opinion leaders, religious leaders, clan heads to join the cause," he said.

During the operation, Mr Taitika said that an 8-year-old juvenile was also rescued from this shrine.

"I urge all stakeholders to be vigilant and not to be misled by native doctors. You should be careful of the people you seek services from, and this will enable us to eliminate these acts," he said.

Adam Whittington, the Chief Executive Officer of Project Rescue Children, condemned the heinous acts that reportedly even led to the death of an innocent life.

"Human sacrifice is a dark and horrific reality, often ignored by Western society. It must be brought to light if we are to stop it. This week's case is both heartbreaking and hopeful — heartbreaking because we could not save the mother, yet hopeful because her child was rescued," he said.

The High Court of Uganda in Mbale, in May last year, sentenced Isiko Ibrahim to life in prison for the murder of a five-year-old boy in a ritualistic sacrifice. The gruesome case involved the kidnapping and murder of a young boy, whose remains were found buried in a sugarcane plantation.

The annual murders by rituals have been fluctuating over the last three years, according to the 2024 Annual Crime Report by Police. The cases rose from 72 in 2022 to 84 in 2023, before shooting down to 74 cases last year.