MUKONO – In a case that blends audacious crime with the supernatural, the Nakifuma Magistrates’ Court has sentenced three men to prison for orchestrating a bold robbery on the shrine of a renowned local witchdoctor.
The convicts, identified as Vincent Golooba, Zalcayo Oloka, and Musa Muwanga, all residents of Naggalama Town Council, were sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty to the charges. The Grade One Magistrate found them culpable of targeting the home of popular witchdoctor Habibu Ssezigu, widely known by his alias Nsikonene.
The court heard that the trio, displaying a brazen disregard for the witchdoctor’s feared supernatural powers, stormed his residence and plundered his sacred shrine. Their haul was substantial: Shs50 million in cash and a collection of prized traditional items.
The stolen artefacts included three traditional drums, six bed sheets, three pots, and sacred horns, locally known as mayembe, which are believed to be vessels for spiritual power.
The popular witchdoctor, Hajji Nsikonene, is a controversial local celebrity, famously known for marrying eight women and housing them all under one roof.
According to the prosecution, the thieves likely believed the spiritual nature of the items would prevent the witchdoctor from seeking conventional justice. However, their plans unraveled when police, following an investigation, managed to recover one of the stolen sacred horns from the home of one of the culprits.
This crucial piece of evidence directly linked the trio to the crime and formed the basis of the case that led to their conviction and subsequent sentencing this week. The details of the prison terms were not immediately disclosed in the initial report.
The recovery of the mayembe highlights a rare instance where a case involving traditionally protected spiritual property was resolved through the formal judicial system.
