news 27 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Witch Doctors Get Life and 35 Years for Brutal Child Ritual Killings in Kiboga
Two witch doctors have been handed life imprisonment and a 35-year jail sentence respectively for the ritualistic murder of three children in Kiboga District. The children's bodies were found mutilated with vital organs missing. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/witch-doctors-jailed-for-life-35-years-over-kiboga-child-killings-5573858
Kiboga High Court has delivered a landmark verdict, sentencing two witch doctors to life imprisonment and 35 years behind bars for the ritualistic killings of three children. The gruesome discoveries in Kiboga District involved children whose bodies were found dismembered and missing crucial organs, pointing to ritualistic motives.
In the first case, Sulaiman Sentongo received a life sentence for his role in the deaths of two-year-old Nantongo Sylvia and five-year-old Nakasumba Esther. The girls vanished in April 2024, and their remains, including heads, were later found concealed in a kiln and near a stream. Evidence presented in court included mobile money records, call data, and DNA analysis, which linked Sentongo to the crime scene. A police dog led investigators to Sentongo’s shrine, and he was later apprehended in Kampala.
Sentongo’s sister was initially charged as an accessory but was acquitted due to insufficient evidence. The prosecution successfully argued that the children’s hearts, lungs, livers, uteruses, and genitals were removed.
A separate trial saw witch doctor Madina Nakyeyune sentenced to 35 years for the ritualistic killing of 11-year-old Olive Namaganda. Namaganda disappeared in June 2024 while on her way to sell maize. Her remains were found days later, with her torso missing its heart, liver, kidneys, uterus, and genitals. A police dog, Hippy, tracked the scent from the victim’s remains to Nakyeyune’s shrine, where evidence was recovered. DNA analysis confirmed a piece of cloth found near the remains belonged to Namaganda.
The court’s decision highlights the successful collaboration between law enforcement and the prosecution in securing convictions for heinous crimes. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions stated that these convictions underscore their commitment to ensuring accountability for perpetrators of serious offenses.