Tragic Mob Violence in Duka Moja: Three Lives Lost to Misguided Fury

A tragic and horrific act of mob violence rocked the village of Duka Moja in Kakamega County yesterday, claiming the lives of three people. An elderly couple, Arnold Ambuchi (59) and Seraphine Muloki (54), along with a visiting witch doctor, Ayub Lusweti (60), were brutally attacked and killed by enraged villagers fueled by suspicions of witchcraft.

Reports detail a grim scene of the mob storming the Ambuchis’ home after discovering Lusweti’s presence. The ensuing attack, armed with machetes, swiftly turned fatal for all three individuals.

Motives behind the violence remain shrouded in speculation. Whispers among anonymous villagers linked Lusweti to recent village deaths and accused him of harming children through witchcraft. However, these claims faced vehement denials from the deceased’s family.

Josiah Juma, the couple’s uncle, staunchly defended Lusweti, stating that the accusations were baseless and that the witch doctor simply practiced his trade within the confines of the law. His widow, Dorcas Mukhwana, tearfully echoed these sentiments, affirming her husband’s innocence and describing their visit to the Ambuchis as a routine ritual practice.

Luka Lusweti, the deceased witch doctor’s brother, expressed deep frustration over the brutal extrajudicial killing. He emphasized that while Lusweti’s practices might have raised eyebrows, resorting to violence without any formal investigation or due process was an unacceptable transgression.

The tragedy has drawn condemnation from Kakamega County police commander Joseph Kigen, who assured a thorough investigation and swift justice for those responsible. The victims’ bodies remain at the Kakamega County Referral Hospital mortuary, awaiting postmortem examinations.