Pastor dies during exorcism

POLICE in Uganda are investigating circumstances under which a Kampala-based Pentecostal pastor lost his life as he attempted to set fire to articles that allegedly “harboured” evil spirits.

Pastor Daniel Naheirwe died at the home of Jessica Kyohairwe, where he had gone to reportedly drive out the evil spirits.

“A case of sudden death was registered. Our team visited the crime scene and documented everything. Detectives searched the deceased and an Itel mobile phone was recovered from him.

“Statements from relevant witnesses were recorded before the body was transferred to Nakasongola HCIV for post-mortem,” said the Savannah regional police spokesperson, ASP Sam Twiineamazima.

Medical professionals often attribute sudden deaths to several causes, including heart diseases or accidents.

Among his followers, Pastor Naheirwe was well-known for burning articles suspected of being used for witchcraft, having done it for many years. Kyohairwe told the police that the cleric travelled from Kampala to Nakasongola district specifically to destroy the witchcraft articles and also pray for her.

“He prayed, performed his miracles and removed the alleged spirits (mayembe). Later, he set a fire to burn the articles where the alleged evil spirits were housed. Unfortunately, in the course of the burning, he collapsed and died on the spot,” Naheirwe told police. — Wires

******** Sangoma jailed for raping sisters

A Rusape-based traditional healer who raped and impregnated two sisters before forcing them to terminate the pregnancies has been sentenced to 36 years in jail.

Simbarashe Mutsetse (26) of Muranda village under Chief Makoni was convicted by a Rusape regional magistrate on two counts of rape. He was sentenced to 18 years in each of the two cases.

Mutsetse denied the charges, arguing he was in love with the sisters.

He said he was in a relationship with the younger victim, but she cheated on him, prompting him to dump her for her elder sister.

He also argued that the sisters’ mother (who could not be named) was aware of the development and addressed him as her son-in-law.

Mutsetse said the charges stemmed from jealous and were meant to fix him.

However, the State, led by the Rusape district prosecutor, proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, thereby earning the rapist a lengthy custodial sentence.

The offences were committed between February 2020 and August 2022. The matter was initially heard before Chief Makoni early this year.

The chief ordered Mutsetse to pay a fine of six cattle and six goats for impregnating the sisters and forcing them to abort. The community court then reported the matter to the police, leading to Mutsetse’s arrest.

Mutsetse was denied bail and had been in remand prison since February.

The prosecutor said Mutsetse, a traditional healer, relocated from his rural home to Vengere in Rusape, where he became a tenant of the victims’ mother.

On an unknown date in February 2020, Mutsetse told his landlady that her elder daughter needed spiritual cleansing. This was to be performed at Rusape Dam. He said the rituals would be conducted by him and the victim alone. The mother was advised to remain behind, praying. She never suspected anything since they had previously gone to the shrine without any incident.

The prosecutor said while the two were at the dam shrine, the traditional healer’s purported spirit medium ordered the victim to sit down as the cleansing was to be performed through sexual contact. The victim refused and only gave in to the rapist’s demands after being threatened with death.

He covered her head with a traditional piece of cloth (retso) before pushing her onto the ground and raped her twice. They then returned home. He continued sexually abusing the girl in her bedroom until May 2021.

It is said on an unknown date in December 2021, Mutsetse told the landlady that her minor daughter needed cleansing, which was also supposed to be performed by the two of them at his shrine near Rusape Dam.

The mother was also instructed to remain behind, praying.

When the traditional healer got to the shrine with the minor, he told her that the cleansing would be done through sexual contact, but she refused.

Mutsetse went on to deflower the girl. He raped the minor twice before returning home.

He continued to abuse her in her bedroom until August 2022. The crime came to light in August 2022, after the first victim realised that Mutsetse was using the same method to abuse her minor sister and spilled the beans to her mother.

Mutsetse was confronted by the victims’ neighbours and fled.

Testifying in court, the landlady accused Mutsetse of impregnating her two daughters and forcing them to abort on the pretext that he was performing cleansing rituals.

She said her daughters suffered in silence after Mutsetse threatened them with death.

The woman said the abuse was also orchestrated under her roof and strongly believed Mutsetse used juju on her since she did not suspect anything.

“My heart is bleeding because it all happened under my watch. I could not pick it up. Maybe he was using juju on me. This is the worst thing ever done to me,” she said, adding that he should rot in jail for ruining her daughters’ lives.”

She further argued that Mutsetse betrayed the trust she had bestowed on him as she treated him like her own son.

“I will never forget and forgive him for that. He should rot in jail for destroying my family,” she said.

One of the State witnesses said the minor victim confided in her about the incidents while at school and advised her to divulge the matter to her mother.

She added that on one occasion, while at school, the victim’s school uniform was spoilt by some smelly fluids.

When she asked the victim about it, she said she had been forced to terminate her pregnancy by Mutsetse. — Manica Post