16 YO Bugembe girl dies after illegal abortion, Iganga witch doctor wanted by Jinja police

16 YO Bugembe girl dies after illegal abortion, Iganga witch doctor wanted by Jinja police 

Jinja city- Kiira region police command is hunting tirelessly for a witch doctor from Iganga district.

It is alleged that the yet to be identified witch doctor between January 2nd and 3rd, 2024 allegedly inserted roots of wandering jew in the private parts of the victim (deceased) and supplemented it with bitter herbs in liquid form. 

Kiira police spokesperson, SP, James Mubi, the victim who concealed the four months pregnancy has been staying with her grandmother, Betty Babirye, 58 and a resident of Wanyama cell (Mutekanga zone) in Bugembe, Jinja city.

"On January 2nd , 2024, the victim disappeared from home prompting her grandmother to report case of disappearance at Bugembe police station. The following day January 3rd, the victim returned back home when she was too weak. Meanwhile on January 5th, she started bleeding seriously and later she was rushed to Jinja regional referral hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival", police statement revealed.

According to SP Mubi, he confirmed that before the fateful day January 5th, the deceased had disclosed to police that the boyfriend only identified as Junior who is employed as a local watch man at his uncle's ( Obwana Stephen) parking yard was responsible for the pregnancy.

"The young man got her (victim) pregnant and later ordered her not to share the information with anybody adding that if she does, she will be killed and her body will never been seen anywhere. This possibly made the girl conceal the pregnancy", said Mubi.

Mubi further revealed that the victim was taken to a witch doctor in Iganga in company of the boyfriend's brother Isaac Okurut and a neighbor Eseza Namuyomba who went up to Idudi in Bugweri district to get the preferred roots of wandering jew and bitter herbs. 

"The victim sat for her primary seven last year at Nakanyonyi primary school. She is a daughter to Joel Mbalyowelo, a resident of Wanyama cell in Bugembe, Jinja city", Mubi added.

"A case of defilement has been opened against the main suspect Junior while Junior's brother Isaac Okurut and neighbor Eseza Namuyomba have been arrested and charged with rush and negligence because their reckless acts that caused death of a person", Mubi confirmed.

He also revealed that the witch doctor and defilement suspect Junior are being hunted. Mubi said, "the suspects are being detained at Bugembe police station".

It is upon this that police strongly warned witch doctors from getting involved in illegal acts like conducting illegal abortion among other crime challenging that police won't hesitate to arrest any person involved in aiding abortion before, during and after the commission of the crimes. 

"Let us combine efforts to reduce these cases in the region. Police is firm in arresting and prosecuting all culprits of Gender Based Violence cases and many have been sent to Kirinya prisons that is why we are seeing a reduction. This has been made possible due to joint efforts and coordination from other stakeholders like office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, religious leaders who have continuously condemned these practices in Busoga Kingdom through their preachings".

According to police reports, Gender Based Violence cases reported in Kiira region from 2021 to 2023 are 1401 and these have equally led to loss of lives, early pregnancies, poverty and low self-esteem.