Written By | Jovita Hasto
Polive in Ibanda responding to a suspected murder incident near euqator line in Ibanda Municipality. [Photo Jovita Hasto]
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IBANDA
Police in Ibanda district are investigating a suspected murder incident that happened in Rushaka III, Karangara ward, Bisheshe Division in Ibanda Municipality, involving a 68-year-old Wilson Turyasasira, a bicycle mechanic at 58 miles. This brings the murder cases reported in the area to over 10 cases that have been reported in Ibanda in a period of one month, leaving residents fearful and worried.
Locals say there has been laxity in night police patrols, as this has given attackers a chance to attack people leaving work in the wee hours of the evening.
These cases have been registered in Rwenshambya in Keihangara Sub-county, in an incident that left at least two family members dead and two others nursing wounds. Others were in Nyamarebe Sub-county, Ishongororo Sub-county and Town Council, Ibanda district and Municipality, whereby, according to security in the area, these people have been reported murdered due to factors attributed to domestic violence, night attacks by thugs, land conflicts and family conflicts, leaving people dead by beheading, hacking and stabbing.
Police at Ibanda Central Station today, September 15, reached the scene with a sniffer dog investigating the motive of the attack and discovered the deceased's walking stick, cigarette and a kombucha drink, while the body was tied, the hands and neck dumped in a pit latrine.
Family members suspect that he was attacked with the intention of taking Shs130,000 which he had withdrawn from mobile money that was meant to purchase school requirements for the children who were reporting to school.
Ms Monica Busigye, the wife of the deceased, stated that she had left her husband in a trading centre and waited for him, but he did not come. It is today morning that they were looking for him and discovered a walking stick, blood marks and a kombucha drink and alerted local leaders and other residents, who informed Police at Ishongororo Sub-county headquarters.
"I was with my daughter walking to get money from him so that we could proceed to purchase her requirements for school since she is to report to school. Along the way we found some of his items and blood; we became suspicious before seeing his body dumped in a pit latrine," she said.
The two proceeded to the area LCI chairperson and alerted locals and police, who came and responded to the scene.
Ms Busingye suspects that attackers wanted money amounting to Shs130,000 which was sent to him by a son from Mbarara to aid in shopping for school requirements. She cannot tell if the husband was attacked because of the money that he received.
"One of my sons had sent money to him which was meant for school requirements and it was withdrawn and handed over to him. By the time I left the centre, he was there at his garage where he repairs bicycles from, and we waited for him last night but he did not return," she narrated.
Mr Frank Beyendeza, the LC1 chairperson of Rushaka III, said that most of the people have been attacked from the same spot near the equator line, being a dark spot at night.
"This place at the equator has a dark spot which thugs take advantage of and attack. As you can see these trees, there is darkness at night and thugs hide in there. Some time ago there was a young man who was attacked and killed, another one was also killed and his body dumped in a millet garden," he said.
Mr James Bamugye said that if people could stop moving alone and at night, it could reduce the incidents. He said the equator spot has facilitated murder cases in the area.
"Very many people are now scared of this spot that has become a death trap. The place has many trees and is dark at night; we hope if people move early back home, or in groups, at least thugs would also fear to approach them," he said.
Mr Charles Namanya, one of the locals from Kashozi centre who discovered the deceased's body, stated that he was moving with his dog in the morning and saw a young girl making an alarm, so his dog behaved strangely around the spot where they found a body.
"I was moving to the farm with my dog and saw a girl who came running towards the main road screaming loudly. We stopped and my dog behaved strangely, pointing its head in a certain direction, and we found there was a dead body and we had to inform leaders in the area," he said.
Mr Namanya also appealed to security to resume night patrols for people's safety.
Mr Posias Tumukunde, a resident, appealed to security for night patrols so that such acts may be reduced. He said people are dying after being attacked.
"We no longer see security men at night patrolling; there is laxity in night operations and this has enabled insecurity in the area. We want security to come in because we are now living in fear," he said.
Mr Godfrey Mbetegyereize, the Ibanda district Resident Commissioner, explained that murder cases in the area are high, as many reports have been reported in one month. Cases of murder-related incidents are common and related to night house attacks, domestic violence, land wrangles and other family hostilities.
"We have registered a number of cases of murder and, as we talk, we have identified a dead body around the equator line and other cases. We had a case in Kanyansheko ward, Keihangara of torture and murder, and other cases related to homicides in Bisheshe Division, a beheaded case in Nyamarebe Sub-county and other isolated cases," he said.
Mr Mbetegyereize explained that people are now fearing each other, as most of these cases are attributed to drug abuse, night thugs, domestic violence and family land wrangles, stating that much sensitisation is needed so that peace and safety are restored in the area.
"We are condemning these acts because people have changed in behaviour due to drug abuse, theft, redundancy and too much freedom from the people. I have summoned my security committee so that we agree to disagree and organise barazas to sensitise people. People are fearing fellow human beings, and such factors that are socio-economic have disturbed people's peace in the area," he explained.
Commenting on limited patrols in the area, he said there is no manpower and vehicles to enable security operations in the area. He said patrol operations are to resume in areas where security seems to be lacking, urging for the public's vigilance.
"I somehow do not believe that patrols can end these murders because in other areas murders happen. We need to work on people's mindset because murders are driven by someone's intention. Patrols could be there; however, we lack enough manpower, vehicles and fuel. However, we would be conducting patrols daily. If we want to curb these murders, we need to understand our masses and ensure we drive away the motives used to commit such acts," he said.
The deceased's body was taken to Ruhoko Health Centre IV for postmortem.
