Villagers torch three houses accusing owner of witchcraft

Pupils of Ebusyubi Primary School could allegedly not see what was written on the chalk board properly.

Some couldn't grasp simple arithmetic concepts and others simply hated school, preferring local video dens instead.

And all these were blamed on one Isaiah Kutai, a man with a home close to the school.

Last week the angry villagers, including the pupils, matched to his homestead and torched his imposing house and two others in the compound.

The happenings at Epuche village in Mwibona ward in Luanda Sub County of Vihiga County also saw Kutai’s livestock tethered in the compound butchered as he fled for his life.

A villager, Jeremiah Liswaka, claimed that Kutai’s family had been sending evil spirits to their pupils, and the spirits had resulted in poor grades during national examinations.

“When the amajini (evil spirits) are sent to attack our children in school, they chant his name saying he has sent them,” said Liswaka.

He went on: “The evil spirits even strangle our children and they cry out the name of the man (whose house the mob has destroyed), can that be a coincidence?”

Liswaka said that in a strange twist some of the pupils get strange ailments only to be pronounced healthy at hospitals when everyone can see that they are sickly.

“The only option we had was to excommunicate the suspect whom we all believe is dispelling an evil spell to our children and society at large," said another villager only identified as Lugonzo.

Liswaka, an elder in the village, said they were not ready to accommodate him anymore as they are interested in securing a good future for their children, fearing that good performers were on the target.

Administration Police officers from Epuche AP Post dispersed the irate mob that was keen on harming occupants of the home.

The school management declined to comment on the matter on grounds they are not authorised to talk to the media.

But in a rejoinder, Kutai dismissed the claims that he was sending evil spirits to strangle the pupils, saying the villagers were out to malign his name.

“This is just an arson attack since I am one of the successful villagers around. My family is being targeted unfairly and property worth Sh5 million has been reduced to ashes,” said Kutai.

He said he had identified the ring leaders and he will be taking them to court so that they can be punished for taking the law into their own hands.

“Why should I send evil spirits that I even don’t have?” he posed; “I cannot bewitch the children of my neighbours. I am a clean person.”

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