Shocking: Child swooped away by Hawk in Kendem

Residents of Kendem and environs in Upper Banyang Sub-Division, Manyu Division, South West Region of Cameroon have have for some weeks now remained bewilded over the mysterious disappearance of a 2-year, 2-month old child, Ashu Enow Christopher.

According to Ashu Robert Tambe, the father of the aforementioned, he had just returned from the farm and later fell asleep in the parlour with his child. He further said that he left the aforementioned with his brother and went to a nearby river (River Bokwa) to take a bath during which they were playing with other children in front of the house.

Ashu Robert Tambe said on his return from bathing he was informed that a hawk had carried and flown away with the 2-year, 2-month old Ashu Enow Christopher.

According to 5-year old Ashu Chesuh Tambia and 6-year old Besong Bonaventure, they were playing together when suddenly a hawk appeared, glanced from a distance before carrying and flying away with their brother.

During a fact finding mission at Kendem Mile 33 (Omen Quarters) where the incident is said to have happened, the father confided that a Witch Doctor he brought from Batibo in Momo Division of the North West Region confirmed that it was a female family member who transformed into a hawk and committed the atrocity.

The Witch Doctor indicated that the child was still alive, held in captivity in a nearby bush, under a big tree across the river. After several in cantations, the Witch Doctor embarked on a journey to release the child from captivity.

The proved unsuccessful as the Witch Doctor returned looking tired with several wounds on his body.

The Witch Doctor later confess that the wounds were as a result of the beatings he received from the witches and wizards while he tried to free the child.

The Witch Doctor then revealed to the father of the child that the perpetuators of the act needed to be appeased with a pig before they would release the child.

The father of the child confirmed that on the instruction of the Witch Doctor, he provided the family members with an extra-large pig. He continued that after the hawk disappeared with his child in broad daylight, he only saw the child a day after he provided the family members with a pig despite the thorough search for six days.

He added that he received the biggest surprise of his life when on the seventh day, the child was found dead on a stone along the same path he passes everyday to the farm.

Village sources rumoured that the father of the child is being punished by the family members for refusing to give them fallouts from the sales of farm lands.

According to a villager who spoke on condition of anonymity, the family members had asked the father of the child to let them enjoy some of the material dividends derived from the farm business. It has been alleged that the father of the child inherited some farm lands from his father. They say each time he sells them; he keeps the money as well as the pig offered by the buyers.

The villager concluded that, this explains why the child in question has remained crippled for 2years, 2 months after birth and why he was carried by a hawk and the dead body only seen seven days after a pig was provided to the family members for sacrifice.

The mother of the child Ashu Victorine Asan who could hardly speak expressed surprise about how a hawk could carry a child as big and heavy as hers.