BUGWERI, UGANDA: Police in Bugweri District are hunting for family members who connived and hacked to death a 60-year-old widow using a hoe over land wrangles.
Alice Kakaire a resident of Kiwani B Village, Buyanga Sub-county in Bugweri district was reportedly attacked on Tuesday morning by her neighbors from a one Bukyabubi’s family and repeatedly cut on the head before succumbing to injuries. Alice was reportedly cultivating on the said disputed land.
This has come in almost two months since her husband Kakaire Paul died leaving land matters unsolved.
Kasango Julius, a resident of the same area told Daily Express that Alice [now deceased] was digging and her neighbors were also digging near her field before they attacked and killed her with a hoe.
”She was digging and her neighbors from Bukyabubi’s family attacked her with a hoe, they banged and cut her on the head to death” Kasango said adding that her husband died two months ago before the land wrangles were settled.
The incident annoyed the residents and turned unruly by destroying the homes of the suspects by knocking down their houses and setting them ablaze before police arrived to contain the situation.
The Vice-Chairperson LC 1 Kiwani B, Mr. Lwumbwe Matia, says that he received a call about the incident and rushed to the scene finding when neighbors to the deceased had all escaped.
”I got a call that Kakaire Alice was killed by her neighbors and I rushed to the scene and I found when her neighbors had escaped”, he said.
Iwumbwe blamed the government mostly the Courts for delaying Justice citing that issues concerning the said disputed land have take almost ten years in Court without any ruling. He also condemned police post of Kiwani for not responding in time.
”I blame our government especially the Courts for delaying this matter because this issue has taken ten years while in Court but no ruling has been done concerning this land. I also blame Kiwani police post for not responding in time which has led to damaging of property for suspects”, Iwumbwe emphasized.
Mr. Mukwaya Muhammad, the Chairperson LC 1 of the neighbouring village [Kiwani A], said that the incident appeared to be planned since the suspects had already prepared a grave to bury the deceased but were interrupted by a minor who saw what was happening and immediately reported them to some locals.
”It seems these people planned to kill the lady since yesterday on Monday because they had even dug the grave where to bury her but were reported by a child who saw what was happening”, Mukwaya said.
Busoga East Police mouthpiece, Ms. Diana Nandawula confirmed the incident saying that suspects were still at large and police had mounted a hunt to see them arrested.
”The suspects ran away after the incident but we have started hunting for them such that they are all arrested”, Nandawula said adding that the body was taken to Iganga general hospital Mortuary at Nakavule for autopsy.
Ms. Nandawula condemned the act of murder allegedly caused by land misunderstandings and also condemned the act by locals to demolish houses of the suspects and setting them ablaze saying that it was unlawful.
”We condemn the act of killing this lady and also condemn all those who have knocked and burnt the houses of the suspects. We are hunting for those who have been involved in this”, Nandawula added.
She said that investigations were on, to establish the cause of the incident.
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