BUDUDA, UGANDA: Police in Bududa district are hunting for a 33-year-old man for allegedly hacking his brother-in-law to death after failing to agree on the sharing of cash they received via the Parish Development Model (PDM) programme.
The deceased was identified as Watetera Andrew, 21, who has been a student of Buluchere secondary school and he was a resident of Bumukita parish, Nalwanza Sub-county in Bududa district.
Elgon region police spokesperson ASP Rogers Taitika identified the suspect as Mashetisha Samuel who is alleged to have cut the deceased several times on the head and at the back before meeting his death.
According to preliminary reports, it is alleged that Watetera had paid a visit to his brother-in-law, Mashetisha over the weekend when an argument erupted over sharing of the money, they received via the PDM government programme.
“It’s alleged that the matter may have been due to PDM money, but we’re working swiftly to apprehend the suspect. We as well call upon people to avoid mob justice like the instance of destroying property of the suspect,” ASP Taitika said in a police statement.
According to an eyewitness, Martine Sogoni, the dispute between the in-laws escalated into a physical altercation, and despite initially overpowering Mashetisha, Watetera’s fortunes quickly turned when the former entered the house, grabbed a machete, and mercilessly hacked him on the head, killing him instantly.
Attempting to conceal the crime, Mashetisha then took the lifeless body and hanged it from the roof using a rope, attempting to stage it as a suicide.
Police confirmed that the suspect is currently on the run and efforts are underway to have him apprehended and face the law as investigations into the murder case vide CRB 226/2023 continue.
By press time, the body of the deceased had been taken to Bududa Hospital mortuary for autopsy but unfortunately, the angry mob turned against the property of the suspect and relatives by setting them ablaze and cutting crops down.
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