Monster 16ft crocodile ‘Osama’ has ‘eaten 80 people and is so deadly villagers think he’s immortal’

, Paul Kyewalyanga, claimed he was rowing in the back of his boat as his brother Peter fished from the front when Osama leapt in and snatched him.

He recalled: “Osama just emerged from the water vertically and flopped into the boat.

“The back of the boat where I was sitting was submerged.”

The terrified fisherman said he called for help, but the crocodile latched onto Peter’s leg with his giant jaws and began to pull at him, trying to get him into the water.

Paul added: “Peter was clutching the side screaming. They fought for about five minutes until I heard a tearing sound.

“Peter shouted, ‘He’s broken my leg.’ Then he let go and was dragged into the lake.

“A few days later we found his head and his arm.”

As villagers became more frightened, some felt compelled to pray in the middle of the night for protection from the deadly predator, reports suggest.

The deadly reign was only ended when the monster croc was captured in 2005.

After a stakeout lasting for seven days and nights, a group made up of 50 local men and wildlife officials lured the beast in to a trap using a pair of cow’s lungs as bait.

As Osama reportedly jumped up to grab the lungs, he inadvertently bit in to a snare which snaked around his teeth.

Pictures captured show how they restrained the thrashing beast with ropes and hoisted him on to the back of a pick-up truck.

Yet, those eager to slay the beast were told that it wasn't allowed.

Officials told them: "Even he has rights. He cannot be killed with impunity."

Instead he was given to the owners of Uganda Crocs to be used in their breeding programme.

It was hoped that he could be used to create thousands more giant crocodiles whose skin could be turned in to handbags for fashionistas abroad.

These days the farm is a tourist attraction where members of the public can pop in to see the 5,000 crocodiles being fattened up ready for slaughter.