Boda boda riders lynch woman, 62, over witchcraft claims

Ms Mary Achieng’, 62, was lynched by irate boda boda operators who accused her of bewitching her son. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Her neighbours alleged that Ms Achieng, who always had nightmares, was being haunted by her dead son.
  • The woman, who was being frogmarched back to her home, was attacked and killed with crude weapons. 

A 62-year-old woman was on Tuesday lynched in Kasewe B sub-location of Rachuonyo East, Homa Bay County, for allegedly practicing witchcraft.

Ms Mary Achieng’ was hacked to death by irate boda boda operators who accused her of bewitching her son who died three months ago. 

NIGHTMARES

The riders from Misambi trading centre descended on the woman after she failed to identify a witchdoctor whose services she is said to have sought to eliminate her son. 

Her neighbours alleged that Ms Achieng, who always had nightmares, was being haunted by her dead son.

This, they claimed, made her to ‘transfer’ the spell to one of her step sons who later ran mad.

Kasewe B Assistant Chief Hesbon Asero said some area residents forced the woman to identify the witchdoctor, whose services she used to cast the spell on her step son.

CRUDE WEAPONS

"After a brief interrogation by the locals, the woman agreed to identify the witchdoctor whom she said operated from Nyapalo trading centre. They, however, got furious after the woman declined to identify the witchdoctor upon reaching the area," Mr Asero told Nation on Wednesday.   

The woman, who was being frogmarched back to her home, was attacked and killed with crude weapons. 

The administrator urged members of the public to report security threats to police instead of taking the law in their own hands.

The woman’s body was taken to Rachuonyo Sub County Hospital mortuary.