Residents of Mombasa were left stunned after bizarre claims emerged that several men had mysteriously lost their private parts after encountering a group of evangelists.
However, police have firmly dismissed the allegations as false, describing the claims as nothing more than “porojo” (nonsense) and warning the public against spreading dangerous misinformation.
The incident occurred in Soweto village, Kadzandani Ward, Nyali Sub-County, where panic quickly spread after two men alleged that their genitals had disappeared following an encounter with preachers conducting door-to-door evangelism.
The claims sparked outrage among locals, who accused the evangelists of practicing witchcraft and launched attacks against them.
According to Nyali Sub-County Police Commander Davidson Muga, investigations established that the allegations were completely false.
“We arrested the two who claimed the preachers were witches and had caused their genitals to disappear. We did a physical check and found their claims to be false because their private parts were there,” Muga said.
The police boss further rubbished suggestions that people can lose body parts through supernatural powers, insisting that there is no scientific or medical evidence to support such claims.
“You cannot know a person is a witch by just looking at them,” Muga stated while warning residents against making accusations that could endanger innocent lives.
Mob Turns Violent
What started as a rumor quickly escalated into chaos. Authorities say an angry crowd estimated at nearly 500 people descended on the area and attacked the evangelists, forcing police to intervene.
Officers from several police stations were mobilized to rescue the preachers, who had sought refuge inside a house as the mob attempted to storm the building.
Police used tear gas and fired warning shots into the air to disperse the crowd.
“We were able to get inside the house after dispersing the crowd and rescued the preachers who were actually eight inside. We used the back door to extract them from the house and drove them to Nyali Police Station,” Muga explained.
Several of the evangelists sustained injuries during the attack, with reports indicating that some suffered serious wounds to the head and hands and were later taken for treatment.
Church Property Damaged
Police investigations also revealed that some members of the crowd later stormed a Kingdom Hall belonging to Jehovah’s Witnesses in Bamburi, where property was vandalized and a generator stolen.
Authorities have since launched investigations into the destruction and theft.
Muga maintained that the targeted individuals were legitimate evangelists and not practitioners of witchcraft.
“Our preliminary investigations suggest these were preachers from Jehovah’s Witnesses, not witches. Those who attempted to attack them were criminal elements,” he said.
Growing Concern Over Dangerous Rumors
The incident has reignited debate about the persistence of superstition and misinformation in some communities.
Similar allegations involving claims of disappearing body parts have occasionally surfaced in East Africa over the years, often triggering panic and mob justice.
Security experts and community leaders have repeatedly warned that such rumors can easily lead to violence against innocent people.
In neighboring Tanzania, authorities recently dealt with comparable claims that nearly resulted in attacks on suspected “witches,” leading to multiple arrests and prosecutions.
Police Warn Against Mob Justice
As investigations continue, police have vowed to take firm action against anyone spreading false information capable of inciting violence.
“We cannot allow criminal elements to rule. We will deal with them,” Muga warned.
The two suspects who allegedly initiated the claims remain in police custody and are expected to face charges related to providing false information and endangering the lives of the evangelists.
Authorities are urging members of the public to verify information before sharing it and to report suspicious incidents to police instead of taking the law into their own hands.
The bizarre episode has once again highlighted the dangers of unchecked rumors in the age of instant communication, with police calling for calm, reason and reliance on facts rather than fear-driven speculation.
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