2013 Kiruhura murder trial starts

By Fred Turyakira

THE Mbarara High Court Justice Flavia Angeline Senoga will today (Monday) start the trial hearing of Jovia Karuhanga, a wife to late Daniel Karuhanga 87, and others in a case in which they are accused of murdering Karuhanga and other five family members in 2013 in Kiruhura district.

The assailants on Friday August 17, 2013 attacked Karuhanga while at his second wife, Joyce Kabashaho's home in Kacumbiro village Kenshunga Sub County, Kiruhura district and hacked to death six people.

The murdered include, Karuhanga, the head of the family, his workers Bernard Ntwirenabo 20, Naboth Turyahabwe 20, Kenneth Timuzigu 20, Eldard Tumwine 52 and Alex Turyamureeba 20.

Karuhanga's second wife, Joyce Kabushaho and her four-months-old baby were the only survivors in the attack. The assailants also took the deceased's vehicle a Toyota Spacio UAR 517H and sh100,000.

 Karuhanga was a prominent farmer in Kiruhura and was also a respected church elder in the area.

Karuhanga's was laid to rest at his second home at Kacumbiro, Kiruhura in 2013. Photo by Fred Turyakira

Police arrested 10 people including Karuhanga's first wife, Jovia Karuhanga, her children, Grace Nuwamanya Karuhanga alias Kyakabare, a lawyer, Alice Nayebare also a lawyer and Enid Akankunda an in-law.

Others were Jolly Akandwanaho, Monic Akankunda, Nathan Nuwasira, the deceased's first wife's driver, Peninah Mbabazi and Brenda Akankunda who are both domestic workers. However, Jolly Akandwanaho was released following investigations.

During the burial of late Karuhanga, the former Kiruhura district Police commander, Norman Musinga who is currently the Kampala Metropolitan Police traffic commander, told mourners that, two sniffer dogs from Kiruhura and Mbarara Police tracked and led police to some suspects' homes and Police recovered blood stained clothes hidden in their rooms.

One of those arrested had a wound that the Police say he sustained when one of the deceased persons put up a fight in trying to save his life.

"After arresting them, we started the interrogation. Some of the suspects confessed that they had been hired to kill the old man and gave Police the details, financiers and how the whole move was carried out," Musinga said. 

According to the Police report read to the mourners at his burial, the assailants had convened a series of meetings in which a detailed plan to kill Karuhanga was hatched. The assailants then moved to the workers house where they slaughtered four workers and then used one as a bait to lure Karuhanga out to his death.

It is alleged that Jovia Karuhanga and her children were against Karuhanga’s plan of sharing the property to the second wife, yet most of the property was a contribution to Jovia (first wife).

The suspects were briefly detained at Rushere police before being transferred to several police stations across the country including Mbarara, Jinja Road Police Station, Kiira Road Police Station and the Special Investigations Unit in Kireka.