Two people accused of stealing car spare parts died after they were forced to drink a concoction of herbs prepared by two witchdoctors. The car owner paid the witchdoctors handsomely to find the thieves on Sunday, and when what they had predicted didn’t happen fast enough, residents threatened to beat them. On Monday afternoon, strange events began.
The two had allegedly collaborated to steal a vehicle distributor cable from a Nissan pickup, registration number UAL 589H that belongs to Ogwang’s boss Jimmy Omuge, a local businessman.
According to Denis Obote, a resident, when Ogwang denied the allegations, Omuge hired the services of two witchdoctors from Butaleja District to identify the person who had broken into his and stolen the cable.
The witchdoctors arrived in Bala Town Council on Sunday at Omuge’s home. They found that residents had gathered and asked whoever had a hand in the theft to confess. When they were answered with silence, the native doctors started preparing a concoction and three people were forced to drink it.
“The witchdoctors then prepared a concoction of fresh leaves mixed with some liquid and forced three men to drink in front of the crowd,” Obote said yesterday.
The three included Ogwang, Okello and a man identified as Tony Aber.
Samuel Elyak, the LCIII chairman of Bala Sub-county, said: “On Monday, all three went to Tecambia Trading Centre where people were gathered and started eating grass like goats.”
North Kyoga police spokesperson, Patrick Jimmy Okema, confirmed the incident saying that residents had become impatient when the witchdoctors’ predictions didn’t happen instantly.
“They performed their witchcraft and told the people gathered that the suspects will run mad and start eating grass. This took so long without any outcome, hence people became impatient since Omuge also claimed he paid Shs5.5m for the services,” he said.
By Sunday afternoon, a mob wanted to beat the witchdoctors, but a police team led by Kole District Police Commander rescued them.
However, on Monday afternoon, Ogwang and Okello started exhibiting signs predicted by the witchdoctors and died at around 4:00 pm. Aber ran mad and has since vanished from the area.
The bodies of the deceased were taken to Lira Regional Referral Hospital mortuary for postmortem.
