Bees 'arrest' suspected burglars in Busia

Two burglars who are suspected to have stolen a television set in Sofiia village, Busia Town in eastern Uganda are in police custody after they were attacked by a swarm of bees.

Like police would handcuff a suspect, a swarm of bees mobbed the hands of one of the suspects, while another reportedly had the TV set stuck on his hands as they returned the stolen items to where they had been picked from.

Ms Rashida Jowelia, the owner of the property, said her TV set was stolen from her house last Friday, but she decided to seek the services of a medicine man in Sofia Village rather than report the matter to police.

The suspects were identified as Wycliffe Kinara and Richard Duki, both Kenyan nationals from Nakuru.  Bees 'handcuffed' one of them around the wrist, while another had the TV set reportedly stuck on his hands.

"I had never seen bees arresting thieves like it has happened today; they formed what appeared like a real handcuff on one of the suspects, while the other had a TV set stuck on his hands," Paul Bogere, a resident, said.

The suspects, however, told DailyMonitor that they were forced to steal because of unemployment. "We left Kenya in search of jobs thinking Uganda would offer better opportunities; but we have stayed in Sofia for four months without getting work that is why we resorted to stealing," Kinara, one the suspects, said.

The burglars added that whereas the house owner accuses them of a break-in, they entered the house after finding it open.

"The owner of the house was careless and had not locked her door well that is why we easily entered and stole the TV set," Kinara said, adding that they are first-time offenders and asked for forgiveness, promising never to steal again.

Juma Kazibwe, a trader at the border, said the arrest of the two was a relief to residents in Busia Town who were grappling with increased cases of burglary and livestock thefts.

"I had five cows but all have been stolen, leaving me with nothing. It is good that we now have this witch doctor to help us recover what the thieves steal from us," Kazibwe explained.

Moses Mugwe, the Bukedi Region Police Publicist, confirmed the arrest of the suspects and the recovery of the TV set.

He, however, said there was nowhere in the Constitution where Police is to involve witchcraft in carrying out investigations and arresting suspects.