- Police in Kwale County have rescued a young man who was allegedly held in chains for five months at a traditional healer’s homestead
- The victim was freed after his father reported concerns, triggering a tense operation to cut through locked restraints
- Investigations are ongoing as human rights activists call for scrutiny of the facility and others found there
Police in Kwale County have rescued a 22-year-old man who had allegedly spent five months chained inside a traditional healer’s homestead.
Source: Facebook
The case sparked outrage and renewed debate about the treatment of people living with mental health conditions.
Why was Dela taken to witchdoctor’s house?
Kenya News Agency reports that the young man, identified as Mwatela Dela, was found locked inside a room at Mwamanga Village in the Bongwe-Gombato area.
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Details indicate that he had reportedly been taken for treatment after developing mental health challenges last year.
According to police and witnesses, Dela was restrained with heavy chains attached to iron bars fixed into the floor.
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Officers launched the rescue operation after his father reported that his son was being unlawfully confined at the home of a traditional healer popularly known as Dr Baakanda.
Dela’s rescue was challenging
Residents watched as police officers, local administrators and community members gathered at the compound to free the young man.
However, the operation proved challenging when the keys provided failed to open the padlocks and chains.
Rescuers were eventually forced to use a saw to cut through the restraints, an exercise that reportedly took more than 30 minutes.
Witnesses described the scene as distressing, with the young man appearing weak and exhausted after months of confinement.
Why Dela wasn’t released
Speaking after the rescue, Baakanda denied wrongdoing and insisted that Dela had been brought to him by his family for treatment.
According to the healer, disagreements over payment had complicated the arrangement.
“Money for the medicine was not forthcoming. He only paid part of the agreed amount,” he said.
But Dela’s father painted a different picture, saying the family had initially sought hospital treatment before turning to traditional remedies following advice from relatives and friends.
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He said they agreed to pay Sh18,000 for treatment when they brought his son to the healer in January.
“We agreed on a treatment fee of KSh 18,000 and brought him here in January. But whenever I asked to take my son back, I was told to pay more money,” alleged Dela.
Where was Dela taken?
The father further claimed that the treatment involved herbal preparations made from boiled tree bark and other traditional plants.
“The medicine was prepared from herbs and tree branches. He would boil them and expose the patient to the smoke,” he said.
Following the rescue, police confirmed that the traditional healer and the victim’s mother had been arrested to assist with investigations.
Meanwhile, Dela was taken to the hospital for medical assessment and further treatment.
Police investigating Dela’s case
Kwale County police said inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances under which the young man was detained.
They are also investigating whether any laws relating to unlawful confinement, abuse or neglect may have been breached.
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For the young man’s family, the rescue marked the end of a painful ordeal and hope for a better approach to his condition.
For many observers, the troubling images of Dela chained to the floor have raised questions about mental health care, vulnerable patients and the protection of human rights.
Source: NgGossips
