Police rescues ‘magicians’ from mob in Bugweri

Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police in Busoga East on Saturday rescued fake magicians who were attempting to fleece residents of Idudi A cell in Idudi town council, Bugweri district of their money after scaring them that their fetishes had entered their bodies.

Prior to the mob action against them, the suspects led by Tony Mukasa handed over purported magic sticks to three residents with promises of making miracle money under the palm of their hands.

However, after close to 10 minutes, the magicians informed the victims that the sticks had been dissolved within their bodies and tasked each one of them to either pay 50,000 Shillings for a miracle cure or risk death.

In retaliation, the residents shouted for help and attracted their colleagues who rounded up the suspects and started beating them up unsparingly.

Two suspects managed to flee from the scene of crime.  However Mukasa was not so lucky and has been rushed to Busesa health center IV for medication, before undergoing further interrogation.

Robina Namususwa, a resident within the area says that, on informing them how she lacked the required amount of money, the suspects attempted to forcefully grab her phone. “These suspects might have harbored the motive of robbing us at all costs, because even when I informed them that I lacked the money, they tried to forcefully grab my phone,” she says.

The area L.C.1 chairperson, Charles Kasango says that several residents in the area are superstitious by nature, which has left them falling prey to endless schemes of magicians, with hopes of acquiring “supernatural money”.

Busoga East’s police spokesperson, Diana Nandawula says that, the suspects will be charged with two counts of fraud and obtaining money through false pretense.

Nandawula further urged members of the general public to desist from actions of mob justice, which she says frustrate investigations since key evidence is tampered with from the scene of crime.

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