Man intercepted while trying to access parliament with a human head
An unidentified man was this afternoon.intercepted as he tried to access parliament premises with a human head in his bag.
The head appeared to belong to a child and had been severed at the neck. Below is a photo of the suspect after capture by parliament security.
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The suspect who was arrested with a severed child's human head
According to the acting director of communications to parliament Ms Hellen Kaweesa, the yet to be identified man in under arrest and pending investigation.
It's reported that the man walked to parliament and said he had a gift to deliver to someone. It is believed he was trying to access the office of the speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga.
"The security personnel were inquisitive and asked what gift it was and he didn't say , on checking him they found a human head in his items," Kaweesa said.
Parliament police has reportedly handed over the suspect to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of Kibuli where he is currently being questioned.
Currently, human sacrifice cases in Uganda are prosecuted as murder under the Penal Code Act. These cases have a very unique nature, so the offence of murder is not sufficient to deal with the practice. For example a child could be kidnapped for sacrifice but get away, or could be mutilated but still live, and there is no law to deal with the severity of that crime.
Sadly this results in perpetrators committing crimes with relative impunity. A statement from Uganda Police Force in 2015 showed how 87 cases of child sacrifice were registered over eight years nationwide, but only 23 went before the High Court.
A study carried out by Uganda Child Rights NGO Network (UCRNN) with support from Children on the Edge, showed how the practice is rooted in a number of socio-economic and cultural factors as well as traditional beliefs that the ritual murder or mutilation of children can bring health, wealth and good fortune.
Children are more likely to fall victims to sacrifice compared to adults, because they are more easily lured and believed to be “pure”. Adults drawn to the practice are tricked into believing that the purity of child makes the ritual more powerful.
UPDATE
Sources in police have revealed the identity of the suspect as Joseph Nuwashaba (22 years old).
