'Tororo woman death is suspected murder, not suicide'

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Police in Tororo district have opened a suspected murder investigation into the death of Budesta Iromait, 40, who was initially believed to have taken her own life on July 19, 2025.

The deceased, a peasant and mother of a four-month-old child, was found hanging near her home in Kadomoche Village, Mella sub-county, according to Moses Mugwe, the regional police spokesperson for Bukedi South.

Her husband, Samson Omongin, told Police he heard the baby crying late at night and noticed that Iromait was missing.

He said he found her hanging from a rope tied to the roof of their pit latrine. He claimed to have cut her down, hoping she was still alive, and alerted the village LC1 chairperson, Robert Oyese, who reported the incident.

However, Police say the scene raises doubts about suicide. A rope, allegedly used in the hanging, was recovered three metres away from the body. The body itself was found lying on the ground near the toilet, with a visible V-shaped ligature mark on the neck.

“The circumstances are suspicious. The body was not hanging when we arrived, and the rope was not in use. We are treating this as a possible homicide,” Mugwe said.

Statements have been recorded from family and witnesses, and the body was taken to Tororo General Hospital for postmortem.

While relatives claim a history of suicide in the family, Police noted that the couple slept in separate beds, raising further questions.

“We are not ruling anything out. Our homicide detectives are leading the inquiry,” Mugwe added.

Police urged the community to report any relevant information that could aid the ongoing investigation.