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There is no greater danger than that of a person who has been rejected in love. While losing a romantic partner isn't enough to stoke the flames of violence for many people, it can be for those whose minds already teeter on the brink of chaos.

Jilted lovers tend to be toxic in that they harbour an intense fear of feeling worthless, unlovable, and destined for thorough isolation leading to extreme feelings of revenge seeing they are unable to bear the full weight of their grief and self-loathing 

Bernard Kafua Ndubi, 30, who had just broken up with his girlfriend Carolyne Chemutai felt the best way he could seek revenge was to kill his lover’s child.

Chemutai 30, had ended her turbulent relationship with Kafua though agreed to meet him to talk one last time, little did she know that the meeting would turn sour leading to the demise of her only child.

Three-year-old Betty Abigail was murdered by her mother’s lover in a jealous rage as payback for ditching him even though they had scheduled to meet at her home only to be shocked at the sight of Chemutai heading to the nearby lodge with another man.

Many would expect the enraged man to follow his lover to the lodge and nab her for cheating on him. However, instead, Kafua who could not contain the nasty scenario of being rejected chose to strangle the baby and dumped the body in the pit latrine.

Ndubi on trial

The prosecution, led by Robert Wasajja, said on the fateful day of November 8, 2018, Betty Abigail, a resident of Shiamulala village, Itama parish, Lolwe sub-county in Namayingo district went missing from her mother’s home.

The court heard that the accused, Bernard Kafua had a love relationship with the victim’s mother, Carolyne Chemutai, who he had a misunderstanding with over rivalry with another man. On the night of November 8, the accused had come to spend the night at Chemutai’s home.

However, he found another man standing with the deceased’s mother outside the house, and a scuffle ensued. After being rejected by the victim’s mother, the accused got very agitated and started throwing stones at the duo as they headed to the nearby lodge.

The prosecution told the court that the victim’s mother returned the following day only to find her daughter missing from home. She reported the matter of the missing child to the Itama Police post.

On November 16, 2018, the body of the victim was recovered from a pit latrine in Shiamulala village. The decomposing body was identified as that of Betty Abigail of which a post-mortem report carried out revealed signs of strangulation.

The court heard that the accused handed himself over to the Police after learning that the deceased’s mother was looking for him over the disappearance of her daughter in retaliation for her betrayal when she opted to go in with another man.

Relying on the charge and caution statements as evidence tendered in court, the prosecution contended that the accused had no lawful defense for that reason asked the court to convict the accused as indicted.

Kafua gets 14 years  

The High Court of Iganga sentenced Kafua to 14 years in jail for the murder of his child’s girlfriend after Justice David Batema found him guilty of strangling and murdering an innocent child.

“She was 3 years old when she was murdered. Her short life was marked by neglect, cruelty, and injury. She was murdered by you, Bernard Kafua, it was your role, as an adult, to protect her from harm. You have been convicted by this court for failing to protect her and instead chose to take her life in cold blood,” the judge observed while delivering his judgement.

“Killing an innocent soul in revenge for dumping you was such a brutal act that calls for a death sentence upon conviction but you are convicted and sentenced to 14 years. The sentence will act as a deterrent to the would-be offenders contemplating the same act,” Batema ruled.

Considering the five years the convict has spent on remand, the judge deducted his sentence to a 9-year imprisonment. He, however, asked him to appeal against the sentence within 14 days if he is dissatisfied with his judgement.

Mum’s cry

“Having to bury your child is the strangest thing no parent deserves to experience. Every day, I visit my baby’s grave to reassure her how much I miss her though I may never have the opportunity to hold her in my arms, I keep informing her all will be well," the mother says.