Suspected murderers of coffee farmer arrested in Rukiga

WARNING: This story contains details that some readers may find distressing

RUKIGA - The Police in Uganda's western border district of Rukiga have detained two men who reportedly murdered a coffee plantation owner in his plantation.

The attack happened on Tuesday (May 20) but the mutilated body of 62-year-old Milton Bagambira, aka Obote, was discovered the following day.

Residents found the body stashed in a sack and buried at a location on the Rwandan side of the border, Police said.

Police based on the accounts of residents and the suspects themselves to piece together how that fateful day happened.

Following rampant coffee theft in the area, coffee farmer Bagambira — a resident of Nyakisa cell in Kamwezi sub-county — woke up at dawn to check on his plantation located at Rwenzaza cell.

Residents told Police that Bagambira found two unknown men, James Kiromba and Denis Beinomugisha alias Murefu, picking his coffee.

It is believed that when Bagambira confronted them in an attempt to arrest them, they turned on him.

Armed with machetes, the suspected intruders overpowered the coffee farmer in a fight, before murdering him.

According to a statement released by Kigezi region police spokesman Elly Maate, the two men cut Bagambira several times. 

He said they inflicted severe cuts on the head, cut off his legs and arms, and even removed his eyes.

They are said to have used a sack they had carried along to gather the stolen coffee to stuff in the victim's body.

According to Maate, the suspects then secretly crossed the border with the body and buried it — possibly as a decoy — before returning to Uganda.

Residents suspect that moving the body to Rwanda was intended to conceal evidence.

Police said one of the residents identified as Ronald Twakire, 38, followed up the matter and notified the Police, who in turn joined forces with residents to track down the suspects, leaing to their arrest. 

Police said that it was during interrogation that the suspects revealed where they had buried the body.

A case of murder by cutting has since been opened at Rukiga Police Station and according to Maate, the two suspects will be produced in court to answer charges of murder as soon as inquiries are complete.

Police condemned the grisly murder and appealed to especially young people to work and earn a living through legitimate means.

“This is being barbaric. How do such youths who have the energy to work and earn a living instead commit such double crime? That is, stealing and on top of that murder an innocent old man?” said Maate.