Police in the Albertine region have recorded five cases of murder within the last week in the districts of Kikuube, Masindi, and Kakumiro.
The deceased persons include Dr Jino Abiriga, the former Acting District Health officer of Masindi whose life was brutally ended on Sunday, January 7, 2024. His body was found near his gate in Kijura North cell, Masindi municipality with severe wounds on the neck, head, and back.
On the same night, a 36-year-old woman identified as Annet Kusemererwa, a resident of Kyabatalya cell in Buhimba town council, Kikuube district was waylaid by unknown people while heading home from the Buhimba Trading Centre and strangled to death. One person has been arrested in connection with the incident.
During the same week, two people reportedly died of suspected poisoning in Kikuube district. The deceased persons have been identified as Phionah Kemigisha, 23, and Sylvia Barungi 16, both residents of Kikonda village in Kikuube district. They were living together in a rented room in the area.
It is alleged that on Thursday, Kemigisha screamed for help while inside the room. Residents responded to the alarm and found the room locked from inside. The residents alerted the LCI Chairperson, who broke the door and found the two people lying dead. However, a three-month-old baby belonging to Kemigisha was found alive in the house.
The police also recovered a bottle containing juice which the deceased persons are believed to have taken. Their bodies were later picked up by police and taken to Kikuube Health Centre IV for postmortem.
In another incident, James Byaruhanga 29, a suspected motorcycle thief was lynched by an angry mob in Kakumiro. The incident happened on Friday afternoon at Buhumuliro village, Mwitanzige sub-county.
It is alleged that the deceased together with one Charles Tibagwa 23, both residents of the area reportedly connived and stole a motorcycle registration number UDL 789E Bajaj belonging to a fellow resident identified as Yowana Niwagaba. However, area residents pursued the duo and arrested them.
They were brought back to their village where a group of residents descended on them beating them to a coma. The police subsequently rushed them to a Life Care Clinic for treatment where Byaruhanga was pronounced dead while his colleague was still undergoing treatment.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson explains that in some murders, they have apprehended some suspects while the others are still being investigated.
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