South Sudanese national arrested over woman killed in Namugongo bar brawl

Wakiso, (UG): The Police at Kira Division are holding in custody a 26-year-old South Sudan national identified as Gido Joh alias Johnnie on allegations of killing a woman identified as Bianca in a bar brawl incident at a local bar at Janda, Namugongo, an urban suburb in Wakiso District.

Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police Luke Owoyesigyire says the incident that unfolded in the wee hours of Thursday morning at around 2 am, was triggered by a fight over a phone belonging to the deceased who was involved in a confrontation with three men, including the South Sudanese national.

“Eyewitnesses report a dispute arising over Bianca’s phone, leading to a violent altercation resulting in Bianca’s untimely death. The assailants quickly fled the scene. Upon receiving the report, the Kira Division Police promptly responded, documenting the crime scene and recording statements from witnesses,” Owoyesigyire said in a Thursday police statement.

“Subsequently, Joh Gido, one of the suspects, has been apprehended and is currently held at Kira Division Police. The search for his accomplices is ongoing,” he added.

Mr Owoyesigyire noted that Bianca’s body has been transported to City Mortuary Mulago for postmortem examination as investigations into the murder case take centre stage.

“The Kira Division Police urge the public to remain vigilant and share any information that may be crucial to the ongoing investigation and the apprehension of the suspects still at large,” said Owoyesigyire.

Local Authorities speak out

Meanwhile, Mr Michael Ssendawula, the LC1 Chairman of Nsawo Zone where the incident happened, Mr Micheal Ssendawula told this website that the deceased’s body was found at Sunset bar.

He explains that both the deceased and the accused are residents of his area but was not sure if they had known each other for some time.

“This lady sometimes would go to that place to maybe get some waragi and then go away. But the people around said that this Christmas season she was sent a new phone by her sister working abroad and she was moving around showing it off to the people she was drinking with that night,” Mr Sendawula said.

“There were signs that she was raped, her clothes were torn and had scratch signs on her body. I immediately called the Kira Division Police and they arrived in time, secured the scene, and took away the body,” he added.

Ssendawula further explains that after they had left, one of the residents who stayed around whispered to me that early Thursday morning, he saw one of the South Sudanese nationals identified as Gido running at night.

“I tipped the police and we went to the apartment where we found over 10 of them in the house. Police surrounded the house and picked out Gudo who was the last person to be seen with the victim,” he said.

Local authorities say one of the biggest challenges they were facing in the area was the sudden influx of South Sudanese nationals in his area.

“They are never introduced to the LC one. They only come in and then bring their friends to stay in the apartments and usually there are so many and they don’t cooperate with the locals,” Ssendawula said.