Police in Kampala have arrested and detained John Magombe, a 50 year-old resident of Kazinga Masajja Kibira B village, Masajja Parish in Makindye Ssabagabo division after he was found in possession of three human skulls.
This was as a result of a security raid which was carried out on his shrine on Friday last week, after an intelligence tip off.
Magombe is now detained at Katwe Police station, however police have not yet revealed the charges they will prefer against him.
In a raid on his shrine by Katwe Police, a bottle containing suspected human or animal blood and other human remains were recovered.
“The territorial Police at Katwe carried out an intelligence-led operation on February 3, 2023, in Kazinga Masaja Kibira B village and recovered suspected Human remains, three skulls and a bottle of suspected human or animal blood at the shrine of Jjaja John Magombe,” Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire told the press.
He added that the recovered exhibits were submitted to the police manned forensic laboratories for analysis, as investigations into the matter continue.
Owoyesigyire said after the arrest, members of the public the following day February 4 descended on the shrine and burnt it to ashes at night.
Mr. Owoyesigire promised to reveal more details on the new developments as investigations progresses.
The incident has been attributed to human sacrifices which is common in superficial Ugandan communities.
It should be noted that witchcraft involving human sacrifices has progressed steadily in Uganda, despite government efforts to curb it by enacting tougher laws and even threatening death sentences.
According to statistics from police, Uganda has recorded 132 known cases of human sacrifices in the last three years leading to 2022, with 22 cases recorded in 2019, 45 in 2020, while 65 were recorded in 2021 alone.
Children have fallen constant victims of this vice due to the fact that they can be easily abducted and are looked at as pure, and therefore of high ritual value.
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