Police in Gulu has advised witchdoctors against use of dead person’s body parts such the skulls and fibular while offering their services for their clients.
Mr Martin Okoyo, the Gulu District Police Commander (DPC) warned that police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any traditional healer who is found in possession of body parts.
Okoyo noted that, “There is always a tendency among witchdoctors to use deceased person’s body parts such as skulls. But those will be found in possession of any body part of someone who is presumed dead will be charged with disturbing the peace of the dead.”
According to Okoyo, such body parts are always put in the shrines.
He noted that the main objective of putting such body parts in the shrine is to coerce the clients to bow to demands they make.
Police blames such crimes on clients who are looking for riches.
Police say they will carry unannounced spot check on shrines in and around Gulu town in order to ensure that native doctors are working within the law of this country.
Ms Penina Aber, 70, a traditional healer at Purongo, in Nwoya says she does not use body parts while administering treatment.
Aber says she basically relies on vegetation as herbs to heal ailments such as infertility, bones diseases and elephantiasis.
However, Aber said she does not dismiss use of body parts by other healers.
She adds that their work is basically to save life but not to cause harm.
The District Chairperson for the National Traditional Healers, Herbalists and Birth Attendants Association for Gulu, Ms Juliet Adoch says they will help police in identifying those who are considered extreme.
Adoch also suspects that those who are committing such offences are non-registered members who are looking for survival.
There are 180 registered traditional healers and herbalists operating in Acholi sub region alone.
