Kwale witchdoctor flees after raping epileptic girl in fake exorcism

Kwale, Kenya: Police in Kwale County have launched a man hunt for a witchdoctor they claimed raped a 14-year-old epileptic girl on Sunday morning at Maganyakulo and escaped after pretending he could heal her.

Kwale OCPD Patrick Oduma confirmed the incident saying the witchdoctor had told the victim's guardian that he was capable of treating the sickness.

"I can confirm the incident but the police have already started to hunt down the accused witchdoctor," said Oduma.

The identity of the witchdoctor is also yet to be given with scanty information on his age and marriage status.

A P3 report has already been filled at Kwale Hospital where the victim was treated after the rape.

Mwanaisha Karim, who is a distant aunt and a guardian to the victim told The Standard that the girl is an orphan. She narrated that on the fateful day, the grandmother took the Class Seven pupil to the witch doctor's home expecting treatment for the sick child.

"When the grandmother took her there, the witchdoctor told her that she should not enter with the girl at his place of work which is a rented house," said Karim.

She was allegedly told that evil spirits could easily move from the sick girl into her if they entered the same room with the ‘healer’.

She added that the grandmother was left outside as the witchdoctor and the victim entered the house for the perceived healing.

"After a few minutes, the witchdoctor came out and told the grandmother to give the girl some more time because the medicine that he had given her was strong, “Karim said.

The grandmother was asked not to interrupt the girl, who was still inside the house but as she waited, the fake healer vanished.

She stormed in only to find her granddaughter sobbing after the ordeal.

She called the neighbors who assisted her in taking the victim to Kwale hospital before reporting the matter to police.