Police in Kiira region are hunting for a witch doctor who allegedly practiced an illegal abortion that led to the death of the 16-year-old Moreen Kabwire.
Kabwire who sat for her primary seven last year at Nakanyonyi primary school is a born to Joel Mbalyowe, a resident of Wanyama cell in Bugembe, Jinja city.
The unlawful fate happened on January 2, 2024 when the yet to be identified traditional healer allegedly inserted roots of wandering jew into the young girl’s private parts supplemented with bitter liquids of herbs to terminate the four months pregnancy of the young girl who has staying with her grandmother, Betty Babirye at Mutekanga zone in Bugembe, Jinja city.
Reports indicate that the victim on January 2, disappeared from home, prompting her grandmother to report a disappearance case at Bugembe police station. On return the following day, she started bleeding and was rushed to Jinja regional referral hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
According to James Mubi the Kiira region police spokesperson, the deceased before breathing her last had disclosed that the boyfriend only identified as, Junior, a local watch man at his uncle’s parking made her pregnant. Junior is said to have ordered his lover to keep the secret to avoid being killed and threatened to disappear her body, which could have triggered the girl to resort to the disturbing exercise of abortion.
In company of her boyfriend’s brother, Isaac Okurut, and a neighbor Eseza Namuyomba, she was taken to a renowned witch doctor in Iganga district, moving up to Idudi in Bugweri district to get the preferred roots of wandering jew and other herbs.
“Case of defilement has been opened up against the main suspect Junior and police are seriously pursuing him and the witch doctor. Junior’s brother Isaac Okurut and neighbor Eseza Namuyomba have been arrested and charged with Rash and Negligent, because their reckless acts caused death of a person,” confirmed Mubi.
The suspects are being detained at Bugembe police station while the deceased’s body is currently at Jinja main hospital mortuary pending postmortem as investigations proceed.
Mubi revealed that Okurut’s mobile phones were retrieved and several communication audios between the deceased, boyfriend Junior, Isaac Okurut, Eseza Namuyomba and the witch doctor were discovered.
Police cautioned witch doctors from engaging in unlawful activities of conducting illegal abortion among other crimes which the furious Mubi stated that whoever involved in aiding the abortion before, during and after the commission of the crimes will be arrested and face the law.
Mubi however shared that 1401 cases of Gender-based Violence (GBV) were reported in Kiira region from 2021 to 2023, leading to loss of lives, early pregnancies, poverty, and low self-esteem among others.
He encourages public to combine efforts to combat cases in the region, adding that Police remains firm in arresting and prosecuting all culprits of GBV cases and many have been sent to Kirinya prisons.
He attributed the reduction of cases to the collaborations between police, office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), religious leaders and Busoga Kingdom among other stakeholders.
