Police in Kamwenge District is investigating circumstances under which three people were allegedly shot dead by a police constable identified only as PC Nuwagaba attached to Bunoga Police Post around 3am on Saturday.

Vincent Twesige, the Regional Police spokesperson Rwenzori West, confirmed the incident saying the PC Nuwagaba together with two other people developed a misunderstanding while in the bar over an unidentified girl.

“After developing the misunderstanding, the police constable left the bar and went to the police post and a few minutes later, he came back with the gun, shot two people who were standing outside the bar dead and the third person was shot while inside his car which was also parked outside the bar,” said Twesige adding that after the incident, the suspect ran away with the gun but he was later arrested from Kyenjojo District.

“Police recovered the killer gun from him and three magazines of which two had 40 rounds of ammunition, and the third one was empty,” he said.

Twesige identified the deceased as Richard Tuhaise, 28, a resident of Bunoga village, Friday Innocent, 38, who was a night watchman at Manoti fuel pump in Bunoga trading center, and Sam Baseka, 18, a resident of Bwizi village in Koma Katalyeba Town Council, Kamwenge District.

The three bodies were taken to Rukunyu Health IV for postmortem as investigations into the matter continue.

By Racheal Nuwahereza

Godfrey Byamukama, the mayor Kamwenge town who was in 2017 tortured by Police on accusations of participating in the gruesome murder of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi has been awarded shs1.4 billion in compensation for the torture.

In 2017, operatives of the Police Flying Squad arrested Byamukama, from Kampala where he travelled as usual for private business. He was bundled into a waiting drone van and detained at Nalufenya police station which at a time was a reknown torture chamber to a number of suspects that had been detained at the facility.

AIGP Erasmus Twaruhukwa, the director in charge of human rights and legal services at the Uganda Police Force, has revealed that the law and order agency agreed to pay Byamukama Shs1.4bn in an out-of-court settlement.

Speaking during a workshop for Regional Police Commanders at Police headquarters on Thursday, Twaruhukwa said government was sued for violating Byamukama’s rights in a civil suit, adding that having realized there was so much evidence against them, the matter was settled out of court.

“We decided to settle the matter out of court. We settled to pay UGX1.4 billion. In that case, everything (evidence) was on social media and if we had allowed the case to go on (in court), we knew we were not likely to win. We would be made to pay UGX 8 billion that they (Byamukama) had asked for,” AIGP Twaruhukwa said.

Sensitive images that surfaced on social media showed torture marks all over Byamukama’s body which attracted ridicule and condemnation from the members of the public, civil society organizations among others.

The Police director however warned that there are many cases that can be mitigated against by police, adding that this can be done when officers stick to what the Police Act and the Constitution provide.

“We need to have a situation where there is no torture and no detention beyond 48 hours. A police officer who makes government loses money, should have action taken against them. These cases happen because people commit crimes with impunity and know the Attorney general will deal with them. The involved officer should pay a percentage of the award and maybe we shall learn to do the right thing,” said Twaruhukwa.

Four police officers including D/ASP Patrick Muramira, D/ASP Fred Tumuhairwe, Habib Roma and Ben Odeke were arraigned before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrates court and charged with torture. However, they were later released on bail.

By Racheal Nuwahereza

Four people died on spot and at least 40 other people sustained injuries in an accident that happened at around 10pm on Wednesday night at Kanseera Village along the Mubende -Kakumiro Road that involved a white Fuso truck REG No. UAY 196 T.

Racheal Kawala, the police Spokesperson for Wamala Region confirmed the incident saying the ill-fated Fuso truck which was transporting members of Bivamuntuyo market traders group from Butoloogo market to Mubende Town, veered off the road and rammed into a nearby building, killing four occupants on spot.

“The truck was overloaded with market vendors and their luggage, the driver lost control and it overturned killing 4 people and injuring 18,” said Kawala adding the 3 died on spot while another died at Mubende hospital. The other victim has been confirmed dead today morning.

The truck driver only identified as Mukisa is said to have been under the influence of alcohol, he reportedly lost control of the truck and rammed into the building. He’s currently on the run after he escaped with minor injuries.

Kawala says the victims were rushed to Mubende hospital for medical attention and bodies of the deceased taken to Mubende hospital mortuary pending postmortem.

Richard Opio, the Mubende Regional Referral Hospital administrator said six of the injured victims were transferred to Mulago National Referral Hospital for further medical attention.

He identified the deceased as one Nakibuka, a female adult, Katushabe Jasinta, (45), Harriet, a female adult and a one Ssembatya, a male adult.

 “We are still waiting for relatives to provide us with details about the other deceased people,” he said.

The injured are among others; Mubulizi kelebu, Ssemakula Alice, Kasibante Emmanuel, Wasswa kenneth, Zziwa Ronald, Ssenegeya poisiano, Jonathan, Maale Richard, Bale Francis, Kasumba Vincent, Kalijira Nakyanzi, Safina, Nampijja Grace, Nfitikiza Habibu, Steven Nzeimana, Lukwago Willy, Nangozi Realty and Musanagowoza Supecioza.

By: Racheal Nuwahereza

Police in Nakaseke District have arrested a man for allegedly killing two children inside their grandmother’s house at Kyangato Village, Nakaseke District on Monday night.

It is reported that the suspect, sneaked into Norah Mbekete’s house and accessed the bedroom where three children were sleeping in the same bed before slitting the throats of Daniella Najjuma,8, and Diana Namakula,5.

According to relatives, the suspect first went to their grandmother’s bedroom and snatched a phone that he used as a source of light to access the other room where the children were sleeping and cut their throats. 

David Kayondo, the Kyangato LC I chairperson, said the suspect had threatened to harm the two children and their mother who is now married to another man.

 “He then rushed outside the house and dumped the panga before disappearing from the scene. When information spread that the two children had been killed, he was the first suspect since the surviving child had noticed someone with the same physique as the man who has always threatened to harm the members of the family. We quickly located him from one of the bars. His response was very suspicious when the police intervened. He later confessed to the murder before the police and LC officials,” David Kayondo said in an interview.

Isah Ssemogerere, the Savana Region Police spokesperson, confirmed the arrest of the prime suspect and recovered a panga and blood stained clothes hidden inside the house.

“The suspect is helping the police with further investigation after admitting that he is behind the unfortunate incident,” said Ssemogerere.

According to police, the suspect is believed to be the biological father of the deceased children although  relatives and the area LC officials claim that he had  denied any relations.

Nowelina Nagadya, the mother of the deceased children, who was at Semuto Village at the time of the incident, said when she separated with the suspect three years ago, she decided to let the children stay with their grandmother.

 “The man kept claiming that two of the children were not his and would harm them one day,” she claimed. 

Kayunga District staff  are mourning the death of their own; Engineer Steven Anguyo, 32, who fell into his own pit-latrine suspected to have been constructed shoddily.

Innocent Dusabe, the district CID, said Anguyo, who has been chief plants operator, fell into his own newly constructed 40 feet deep pit-latrine last evening while easing himself after he had retired home at around 5pm.

It is said that one of the people at his home heard a loud bang in the toilet and alerted neighbours who rushed to the scene.

Later, the fire brigade and rescue team from Kayunga Town arrived at the scene and on retrieving him, Anguyo was already dead.

 A man who allegedly went on rampaged and hacked to death two of his neighbor’s children in Kanungu District, western Uganda on Thursday has been lynched to death.

Edward Birungi, 40, a resident of Kagarama cell, Nyarutojo parish, Kambuga Sub-county, Kanungu District was on 17^th February 2022 reported to have gruesomely murdered two toddlers Tracy Nabasa, 8, and Ian Owembabazi, 3, who he hacked to death.

It is reported that Birungi, first accused the children’s father, Frank Kato, a resident of the same area, of having extra-marital affairs with his estranged wife who had just separated with him about two weeks prior to the incident.

After hacking his neighbor; Kato’s children, Birungi is said to have gone into hiding.

He was, however, intercepted by locals as he attempted to flee to the neighboring Rukungiri and lynched to death on Friday afternoon.   

Elly Maate, the Kigezi region police spokesperson confirmed the mob action and blamed the people for taking the law into the hands.

He said the mob should have arrested Birungi and handed him over to the police for prosecution in the courts of law. 

Henry Mwongyera; the Kanungu LCV vice chairman, said he believes Birungi was under the influence of drugs when he hacked his neighbor’s children.

The victims of Birungi’s action were on Saturday laid to rest at their home in Kigarama cell, Nyarutojo parish, Kanungu district.

Police in Fort Portal Central Division is investigating a case where one person was shot on Wednesday night on allegations of stealing from a vehicle parked at a police station.

Anguyo Jaffar, a Police constable attached to FFU Fort Portal Central Police Station said he saw an unidentified man suspected to be in his 20s stealing a spare tyre from a taxi, REG No. UAW 073P which was parked next to the Quarter Guard.

PC Jaffar who was on duty tried to stop the suspect but the latter removed the tyre and started running.

Vicent Twesigye, the Rwenzori West Region spokesperson confirmed the incident saying the officer shot in the air once to scare him, but the thief continued running with the tyre. This prompted the officer to shoot at the thief once on the left leg and having been disabled, the suspect fell down and the officer informed the OC Station who informed the OC Station who also informed the Regional SOCO, Regional CIO, OC CID and other officers that visited and documented the scene.

A case of stealing from a vehicle was opened pending investigations. The tyre and metallic rod which were recovered from the scene taken were taken as exhibits.

The suspect was arrested and rushed to Buhinga Regional Referral Hospital where he is still receiving treatment.

Police preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect had planned for the theft with intentions of breaking into any vehicle as he calculated the movements of the station guard.

Staff and pupils at Kanoni primary school, Kanoni Sub-county, Kazo district have been left stranded after a heavy storm blew off the roof of their classrooms yesterday evening.

The heavy rain characterized by strong wind and thunderstorms destroyed several other properties in Nyarubanga, Kitongore, Rwemengo and Bwagonga parishes and Kanoni trading Centre all in Kanoni Sub-county.

Hon Ntungire Fred, the district councillor Kanoni Sub-county told our reporter that among the properties destroyed was a school block at Kanoni primary, the head teacher’s office and the staff quarters, the Sub-county office block and banana plantations among others.

Jameson Kakuru the LC III chairperson Kanoni Sub-county confirmed the disaster in this area and asked the district management and stake holders to intervene and see how best they can help the affected.

Stella Kala, 35, a widow and a resident of Kawiti Village, Kakwokwo Parish, Mutunda Sub County, Kiryandongo District has sounded an outcry after her 16 year old daughter allegedly run away with a 30-year-old man that is suspected to have defiled her in October last year.

Stella says that after the incident, she reported the matter at Mutunda Police Station, leading to the suspect’s arrest. However, the suspect spent only four days in police custody and when he was released on police bond.

Stella believes the suspect then took advantage of being free to reunite with her daughter and he disappeared with her.

Stella also accuses police at Mutunda Station of attempting to frustrate her efforts to seek justice.

“I have searched almost everywhere but still, I cannot find my daughter. This girl is too young and I wanted her to get back to school but I tried to engage the police to look for this man but they are not helping me,” she added.

The victim is said to have been a Primary Five pupil at Legacy Nursery and Primary School in Mutunda Sub-county.

Abel Abei, the area LC1 chairman, confirmed that the suspect was a resident in this area and added that he suspects him to be hiding at their ancestral home in Loro Sub-county, Oyam District.

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine region police spokesperson, advised the widow to formally lodge her complaint at the region for further management.

At least 650 people in Bwambara Sub-county, Rujumbura county, Rukungiri district, have suffered from jigger infestation since August last year.

The most affected villages are Rushebeya, Kateramo, and Kempazi all in Kikongi parish.

John Tumushabe; the chairperson LC I Kateramo Village,  says many people, including children ranging from the ages of two to five are unable to walk, while the adults between 50 and 70 years have trouble sitting due to pain caused by jiggers.

Tumushabe says together with members of the village health teams (VHT), they have started sensitizing the people in jigger-infested areas about good hygiene.

Annet Kyobutungi, member of the VHT Rushebeya cell, says the problem has been escalated by residents’ failure to adhere to proper sanitation standards. Adding that some families no longer care about their wellbeing as parents have failed to play their roles and some children sleep with dirty feet.

Chris Kagayano, the Bwambara Sub-county LC III chairman, attributed the problem to water shortage in the area.

“I started hearing that there were jiggers in the sub-county but most people in Bwambara are living in poor hygiene places because of water scarcity. That makes us prone to such infections,” said Kagayano.

He says they have instructed a team of health workers to give medical services to the affected population.

Ronald Nahabwe, the sub-county Community Development Officer said so far about 450 people are receiving treatment.

Geoffrey Kyomukama; the LCV chairman Rukungiri district has since urged locals, religious leaders and security personnel to join efforts in fighting the jiggers.

Jiggers penetrate the body mainly through the feet and hands, where they suck blood from their host. When left untreated, heavy infestations may lead to inflammation, wounds, tetanus infections from open wounds and death.