Man kidnapped by witches, hit with dead man’s hand, turns dumb

A family in Rongo has asked preachers to pray for their relative and reverse a curse that made him dumb after he was allegedly abducted by witches in Etago, Kisii county, on Saturday night.

Speaking to the press on Wednesday at their home in Omware village, which borders Migori and Kisii counties, the family said James Ong’ondo, 45, has not uttered a word since the ordeal.

Ong’ondo, a father of four, left home on Saturday evening and was found in Etago on Sunday at 4pm.

His wife Hellen Aoko said he has been communicating to them in writing. “When he came home he wrote that three men alighted from a Probox and abducted him, blindfolded him and tied him up,” she said.

Aoko said her husband was stripped naked, then a group of sorcerers and witches undressed and used a shrivelled human hand to hit him on the cheek three times. They then took him to their various activities throughout the night.

His father John Achila said the group “walked with him through old and fresh graves throughout the night and left him at dawn”. He said his son told them the witches used charms to communicate with dead people.

Ong’ondo’s brother Erick Oluoch said they hope a man of God can pray for his brother to enable him to talk.

“We have tried to access several preachers in the locality and we have been told to part with money, which we cannot afford,” he said.

Oluoch said they do not have money to take Ong’ondo to hospital.