Geita launch crackdown against unregistered healers

GEITA: POLICE Force in Geita Region has declared a crackdown on fraud, gender-based violence and misleading witchcraft practices being conducted by individuals posing as traditional healers.

The Geita Regional Police Commander (RPC), Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) Safia Jongo made the announcement over the weekend during a meeting of traditional healers held in Geita Municipal Council.

SACP Jongo said the decision follows a surge in reports of inhumane and criminal acts committed by people identifying themselves as traditional doctors.

She said the first step will be to ensure that all traditional healers are properly registered, after which any unregistered practitioners will be traced, arrested and prosecuted.

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According to SACP Jongo, police statistics from 2021/2022 indicate that about 254 murder cases filed in Geita courts were linked to witchcraft-related beliefs and false divination practices involving traditional healers.

“There are those who claim to be traditional doctors, but in reality, they are witches operating under the guise of healers to commit immoral acts,” said Jongo.

“I have evidence that some of these so-called doctors have instructed their clients to bring human body parts. Such people are causing great harm to society.” She added that preliminary investigations show most suspects involved in these incidents are unregistered, with around 90 per cent of those arrested engaged in witchcraft or fraudulent fortune-telling.

SACP Jongo warned that if such acts persist, the police will enforce the Witchcraft Act, which empowers authorities to revoke licenses, impose fines and prosecute offenders in court.

“Many people are being defrauded through fake traditional medicine. Some pretend to be healers but exploit others and there are even cases of women being sexually assaulted under the guise of treatment,” she said.

The Acting Regional Traditional Medicine Registrar, Mr Lucas Mlipu said the Association of Traditional Healers is ready to work closely with the police to eliminate those tarnishing the reputation of the traditional medicine profession.