Dr. Abiriga's murder suspects further remanded

The three accused of involvement in the gruesome murder of Dr. Jino Abiriga, the former Masindi district health officer have been further remanded to Hoima government prison until February 13, 2024.

The trio including Betty Cherotich, 31, Martin Kipsanga, 42 and Joshua Namurenge, 36, were remanded by Selsa Biwaga, the Masindi grade 1 magistrate who sat in for Kosiya Kasibayo, the chief magistrate.

The case had come for mention but this didn't happen because Kasibayo the trial magistrate is on leave. The trio was charged with murder on January 16, 2024, at Masindi magistrate's court.

Aliganyira Munanura Arinaitwe, the state prosecutor informed court that inquiries are still ongoing and asked for an adjournment.

Betty Cherotic being escorted to court recently.

The trio allegedly murdered Abiriga on January 7, 2024, at his home in Kijura North Central division Masindi.

His body was discovered about 50 meters away from his home with deep cuts: on the neck, the back and the abdomen.

Police preliminary report: 

The investigation, carried out by the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) in coordination with regional police teams and the Flying Squad, uncovered a sinister plot that unfolded in multiple stages.

Investigations further indicate that the motive behind the murder was rooted in marital discord, jealousy, and suspicions of infidelity.

“It was established that the plot to murder the deceased began after Cherotic Betty learnt about a second relationship that her husband had with a lady called Atuhura Susan in Masindi,” Fred Enanga the police spokesperson told the media in Kampala on Monday, January 15, 2024.

He added: “As a result, she first hatched a plot to kill her concubine or co-wife and the first attempt was by setting fire on her house, which was put off by neighbours.”

“On the 11th of December 2023, Cherotic Betty hired a contract killer, Kipisang Martin, at a cost of 2.5 million Ugandan Shillings to eliminate Atuhura Susan.

One week later, that was on the 18th of December, she sent 500,000 to Kipisang Martin to come and target Atuhura Susan for elimination.

However, this plot failed when the intended victim did not appear at the expected location,” said Enanga.

Enanga added that, “On the 6th of January around midday Namureng and Kipisang booked a room at Valentine’s Guest House. So during the night, she alerted them that the husband was deep asleep.”

“They found the gate open, and she led them into the bedroom. They had two golf sticks. So they found when the victim was asleep and they hit him on the head with the handhoe stick, dragged the body to the floor and then they slit the throat of the late doctor,” said Enanga.

“We reconstructed the crime scenes, recovered several exhibits including shoes of the deceased with the suspect, clothes of the suspects, which they had on that day of the murder, and submitted samples for forensic analysis, which we recovered from Bulyasojo cell. We retrieved the bag from the latrine at Valentine’s guest house. It had a pillow cover, a moping rug, work ID for the deceased and several other bloodstained clothes,” Enanga said.