Ugandan wildlife authorities expressed anger on Friday at the killing of a one-tonne crocodile that local residents blame for the deaths of nine people since the beginning of this year.
The mammoth Nile crocodile, which is believed to be 35-years-old, was put down by vermin control officials on the shores of Lake Victoria on Wednesday after it was snared.
However, wildlife officers said they were enraged as the reptile is considered an endangered species.
"These people were supposed to work with us, but they just got a vermin officer who thought only of killing the animal instead of alerting us for its removal," said Lillian Nsubuga, spokeswoman of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
"Even if it was killing people as the locals are saying, they should have alerted us and we would have taken it away, because it has a right to life," she told AFP.
Local press have reported that residents have chopped off its tail, nose and gouged eyes from the carcass for use in witchcraft.
"Women cut off its nose and genitals to be used in concoctions believed to attract men and make them (women) sex goddesses," a resident told the state-run The New Vision newspaper.
Locals said that women rub the concoctions on their genitals and wear waist laces made of the croc body parts that are believed to be aphrodisiac.
"A man who has sex with such a woman gets addicted to her," one woman said.
While another said portions from crocodile eyes are believed to make stern bosses humble before their juniors.
"People believe your boss can shake with fear and promote you because of the look in your eyes after rubbing this substance in your eyes," she said.
