Police arrest Namazzi's suspected killers

By Eria Luyimbazi

The Police have arrested five men in relation to the murder of a student, Joan Namazzi.

In what is a breakthrough in the investigations into Joan Namazzi's untimely death, the arrest followed meticulous investigative work by police who tracked the phone that was used to call her family following her disappearance and death.

Namazzi who was a student of St. Marks College Namagoma was kidnapped on March 19 and her body was discovered the following day in Namasuba Kikajjo.

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l-r: Aloysius Ssemanda and Asuman Muhereza

The Katwe Police crime boss, Benon Ayebare, confirmed the arrest and identified the suspects as; Mugabi, Aloysius Ssemanda, Asuman Muhereza, Saidi Ayinebyona and Umar Mwanje.

“We have arrested the men who called Namazzi's parents demanding for ransom money even after she was found dead," he said.

"We managed to track the phones they used to call."

Ayebare said the main suspect, Mugabi, a porter at the bus park has several alias names including Shafik Twunomujuni and Mushusu.

He said Mugabi has recently been released from Luzira prison over related cases of girls vanishing in the city and later turning up dead.

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Umar Mwanje and Saidi Ayinebyona

 Ayebare revealed that their breakthrough began when one of his victims, Aisha, who had travelled from Luweero had her bag grabbed from her at Blue room along Namirembe Road.

Blue Room is where Namazzi's parents, Godfrey Lwanga and Maimuna Namatovu handed over the ransom money.

He said Aisha led the Police to the bus park where she identified Mugabi as the man who had grabbed her bag and phone.

Aisha, according to police, positively identified Mugabi from the distinctive feature of a scar running down the right side of his face. Like clockwork, Mugabi named his accomplices.

Ayebare said even after Namazzi was laid to rest the men kept tormenting her family with threatening phone calls and demanding for money .

Some of the ransom money was facilitated by police in a bid to track Namazzi's killers.

He said the suspects are charged with murder on file number CRB 698/2014.