Two arrested as police dismiss ‘black magic’ claims in Mombasa

Two men who allegedly made false claims that some preachers had caused their genitals to disappear have been arrested and are expected to be arraigned in court on Monday.

The incident, which occurred on Friday in Soweto, Kadzandani Ward in Nyali sub-county, Mombasa, sparked unrest that saw angry residents attack several preachers who were conducting a door-to-door evangelism mission.

Police said the two men, who have since been identified, claimed that some of the preachers had mysteriously caused their genitals to disappear after greeting them.

The allegations spread rapidly through the neighbourhood, triggering panic and prompting residents to accuse four of the eight preachers of witchcraft before attacking them.

“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,” Nyali sub-county police commander Davidson Muga said on Saturday.

The two suspects remain in custody and are expected to be charged with giving false information that endangered the lives of the preachers.

Muga dismissed the allegations, saying there is no scientific or medical basis for claims that body parts can disappear without any medical intervention.

He also warned against accusing people of witchcraft, saying such allegations can put innocent lives at risk.

“You cannot know a person is a witch by just looking at them,” Muga said.

The incident has reignited debate about misinformation, superstition and the dangers posed by unverified claims.

Police cited a similar incident in Tanzania that was reported by the BBC. In an April 10, 2026 report, the broadcaster said eight people were sentenced to between five and six months in prison after making comparable allegations.

According to the report, the individuals claimed their genitals had disappeared after they were touched on the shoulder by people they accused of being witches.

Tanzanian police dismissed the allegations as false and said the rumours nearly resulted in mob violence against innocent people.

The BBC also reported that Tanzanian authorities arrested more than 100 people over similar incidents within a week.

The Mombasa incident has also generated public debate among residents and commentators.

BBC journalist Roncliff Odit dismissed the allegations as baseless and warned that such claims could endanger innocent people.

“How can body parts disappear without any struggle? Those people should be held accountable under the law, as happened in Tanzania,” Odit said.

He added that there is no scientific basis for body parts disappearing through supernatural means.

However, journalist Mohamed Seif urged caution against dismissing people's beliefs outright, while condemning mob violence.

Seif said such reports often create fear and panic, causing members of the public to act irrationally.

“You have to understand that the government has only to rely on scientific standards to verify such claims. And science also has its limitations. Otherwise, you would not believe there is God or angels by relying only on science, would you?” he said.

Lawyer and journalist David Ochami said there was no evidence to support the allegations made by the two men.

“Is there any evidence of the same? Did any person see that the ‘parts’ were not there?” Ochami asked.

He urged journalists to exercise caution when reporting such stories and avoid amplifying superstition.

“I will refrain from reporting the story in a manner that fosters the superstition itself or even supports the proposition that human body parts can disappear through supernatural means without evidence.

“Journalists, like historians, should proceed from verifiable facts and demand some proof of what they are told,” Ochami said.

Meanwhile, police said they had to mobilise officers from Nyali, Lebanon and Kisauni police stations to reinforce colleagues from Mwatamba police station after a crowd estimated at about 500 people attempted to attack the preachers.

According to Muga, residents pelted officers with stones in an attempt to stop them from rescuing the preachers, who had been sheltered inside a house for safety.

Police used teargas 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 where we hid them,” Muga said.

Police later said some members of the crowd stormed the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses church in Bamburi, damaged property and stole a generator.

“Our preliminary investigations suggest these were preachers from Jehovah’s Witnesses, not witches. Those who attempted to attack them were criminal elements,” Muga said.

The preachers later recorded statements before receiving medical treatment.

Muga said three of the eight preachers sustained serious injuries to their heads and hands, while another suffered minor soft tissue injuries.

Jehovah’s Witnesses church elder Martin Henya said four of the injured preachers were admitted to a hospital outside Mombasa County.

“We took them that far because we feared for their safety,” Henya told the Star.

Henya said the church is consulting its headquarters in Nairobi and may temporarily suspend door-to-door evangelism and other activities for security reasons.

“We commend the police for their quick action. Now we have to think of the safety of our fellow worshippers. The house-to-house ministry will have to take a back seat for a while,” he said.

The Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses in East Africa also condemned the incident.

“Jehovah's Witnesses are peaceful, law-abiding citizens, well known for their respectful conduct and efforts to assist others through Bible education,” the association's director of communication, Victor Karoki, said in a statement.

Muga warned against the spread of mob violence, saying law enforcement agencies would not tolerate criminal acts disguised as public anger.

“We cannot allow criminal elements to rule. Our President has issued a directive for us to deal with goons. We will deal with them,” he said.