Written by 2012-08-08 12:19:00 Read 172 Times

Geofrey Keya Okello a.k.a Dr. nyasi in a past event in Trans Nzoia County. He was arraigned in Court for going against the Witchcraft Act. [PHOTOS | Leonard Wamalwa] 

A famous witchdoctor who has been known for administering concoctions believed to nab criminals involved in criminal activities in Western and North Rift regions has eventually appeared before a Kitale Bourt being charged of crimes related to witchcraft.

Geofrey Keya Okello a.k.a Dr Nyasi appeared before Kitale Senior Resident Magistrate Jacinta Owiti accused of applying witch-doctor's advice contrary to Section 3, Witchcraft Act CAP 67 of Kenyan Law.

Okello who earned himself the name of Dr Nyasi following the activities that accompany his practice whereby suspected criminals behave in a unique manner including eating of grass, was accused that on July 26 this year at Kimilili Trading Center in Bungoma county, being a person professing knowledge of the so-called witchcraft advised Kennedy Simiyu Wanyama on how to bewitch and identify the perpetrators of an alleged crime of stealing a cylinder head of a Caterpillar Grader valued at Kshs 400,000 property of Kenya Wildlife Service’s Kitale branch.

However, the accused denied the charges and was remanded till the next date of mentioning his case on August 8 this year.

The prosecution led by prosecutor Nephat Marugu argued that Okello should not be given bail saying that the police needed more time to complete investigations against him since all the witnesses needed in the case had not recorded their statements.

The court was also told that releasing him may also endanger his own life bearing in mind that he was arrested by members of public who were baying for his blood before police officers moved in quickly and rescued him.

Earlier on, the Kitale Police Boss Lucas Ogara had confirmed that the accused had been arrested by members of public at a garage within the town who accused him of defrauding them money and cheating them through his witches.

Ogara noted that police had also been hunting for him in relation to numerous reports received by police in relation to his witchcraft activities which he said had led to loss of lives of people believed to be innocent as others lost their money and other valuables in paying him to perform the rituals.

The OCPD had confirmed that several people had been killed due to Okello's witch-crafts including four youth who were lynched at Wamuini Trading Center in Trans Nzoia West District after he claimed that his powers had indicated that they were involved in killing of a youth and stealing money in that village a few months ago.

Similar cases had been reported in Kinyoro within the same district where some other three suspects believed to have been involved in the death of a boda boda operator according to Okello's advice were also lynched and burned beyond recognition by an angry mob at the home of the deceased after he performed some rituals on the fresh grave of the deceased.

Switch to Our Mobile Site