By GERTRUDE MUTYABA| Daily Monitor
Police in Masaka City in central Uganda have detained two people following the alleged murder of an 86-year-old woman in Kimaanya B, Kimaanya -Kabonera division.
Victor Birigo Namaganda, a resident of Kimaanya B in Masaka city is said to have been killed in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
Her 43-year-old son is one of the two suspects in police custody as investigations continue.
But as police continue to search for more evidence about Namaganda’s death, her close relatives told authorities that the elderly woman on Saturday received Shs75,000 from government’s Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) programme.
“At around 12am, he (son/suspect) invaded the house of the old woman and started strangling her while demanding that she gives him all the money she received for the elderly. I heard the old woman saying ‘I already used the 5,000, take the 70,000’ but he wanted all the money,” Namaganda’s caretaker who asked not to be named so that she could speak freely told this reporter after recording a statement at police.
According to the LCI chairperson for Kimaanya village, Mr Jamil Walugembe, the suspect often times threatened to kill his mother if she didn’t leave their home and land left behind by their late father.
“Ever since Namaganda’s husband died, the suspect (son) has been trying to force everyone off the land. He has tried many times to kill her (Namaganda). Unfortunately, his mother could not let us imprison him. She would plead with us to let him be,” Mr Walugembe said.
Mr Walugembe said that despite the fact that Namaganda loved his son, he (son) has been torturing her as part of his efforts to force her vacate the home so that he could sell the remaining piece of land.
The heir of the family estate, Mr Gyaviira Kisolo, said his brother (suspect) forced him out of their home before he moved to Nyendo where he rents a house.
Kisolo said his brother sold off the biggest chunk of land left to them by their father.
Southern region police spokesperson, Mr Twaha Kasirye said the two suspects will be arraigned before court and be charged accordingly.
“We are still investigating circumstances under which the old woman was killed. There were also allegations of rape which we’re ye to confirm,” Mr Kasirye said.
The two suspects are currently detained at Masaka Police Station while Namaganda’s body was taken to hospital mortuary for postmortem.
