Man, 30, who killed 72-yr-old lover jailed

Bernard Mbabaali Mbaziira in the dock at the High Court in Kampala during his plea bargaining hearing on Friday where he pleaded guilty prior to conviction. Photo by Juliet Kasirye

David Mbabaali Mbaziira who murdered his lover and buried her body under a bathtub has been sentenced to 20 years in jail.

72-year-old Harriet Namyenya Mbaziira's decomposing body was discovered in her storied house in Zone Wakaliga B, Nalukolongo, on the outskirts of Kampala.

Justice Joseph Murangira sentenced Mbabaali to 20 years behind bars after he accepted that all the facts presented before court were true.

He asked for forgiveness from the family members of the deceased and promised to testify against the two co-accused persons in the case. One of the co-accused is the deceased's stepson Allan Mbaziira.

State prosecutor, Chris John Bakiza, requested Murangira to transfer Mbabaali to another detention facility because he is now a crucial witness in Mbaziira's murder which took place in 2015.

The judge granted the request and Mbabaali will now be moved to Murchison Bay from Luzira Upper Prison where the two co-accused are being detained.

Mbabaali who was 30 years old at the time was reported to have been in a relationship with a younger woman whom he had brought to Mbaziira's house to spark of a chilling chain of events that led to the her demise.

According to Police investigations, Mbaziira had been dead for three weeks before the body was discovered and that on the fateful night, Mbaabali went up to the top floor where Mbaziira was sleeping and stabbed her to death.

Mbabaali then told suspicious neighbours who had noticed Mbaziira's absence that she had gone to Ghana, but after being pressed to give details he said she had gone to London, all in a bid to throw their scents off. 

A coordinated effort by friends and family got them in touch with the children of the deceased who live in London, but they denied any knowledge of her whereabouts.

Mbabaali was summoned by Police after a missing person's report was filed by the concerned neighbours

A search of the house at first revealed nothing until they went to the upper floor of the house. 

There Police found a door to the bathroom that had been sealed off with pieces of wood that had been nailed in the doorway. A foul smell came from the room and when it was broken into, the door was Mbaziira 's decomposing body was discovered.

Mbabaali had since fled after officers let his slip, under the pretext that he was going to find a hammer to break into the door.

Documents were also discovered showing that Mbabaali had embarked on transferring ownership of some of the widow's properties into his names.