Child sacrifice evidence destroyed
Joseph Kasirye of Masaka was only 12 when death struck him in the most gruesome way. On October 26, while he was visiting an older friend, he met his death like only pigs do. He was bludgeoned to death before his head was severed off. His genitals were cut off as well, before the rest of the body wa
By Joshua Kato and Lydia Namubiru
Joseph Kasirye of Masaka was only 12 when death struck him in the most gruesome way. On October 26, while he was visiting an older friend, he met his death like only pigs do. He was bludgeoned to death before his head was severed off. His genitals were cut off as well, before the rest of the body was dumped in a swamp.
Bosco Katerega alias ‘Umar’, the friend he had been visiting, together with his wife Mariam Nabukeera and a local pig butcher allegedly carried out the gruesome deed. Katerega, a local witch doctor and his wife have since been arrested but the butcher is still at large.
Katerega alleges that he sold the boy’s severed part to a city tycoon, Kato Kajubi.
Following the publishing of his picture in the papers on Tuesday, Kajubi handed himself over to the police on Wednesday. He denies any involvement in the boy’s murder, although he admits that he has known Katerega for years. All three are currently in police custody.
Relatives and residents of Masaka are angry. “The suspects confessed to killing the boy, so what are police and court waiting for? They should be killed immediately,†says Mugwanya, the boy’s father.
Unfortunately for the parents, court does not work that way. Prosecution has to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt as city lawyer Julius Turinawe points out. But will the police present enough evidence to remove a shadow of doubt?
“The key to solving and effectively prosecuting such a crime depends on how vital evidence at, near or within the crime scene is handled,†says a retired CID officer.
How was the crime scene handled in Masaka?
Katerega was arrested the day young Kasirye disappeared. That very day, he confessed to killing the boy and the following day, residents mounted a search for the body, which they retrieved from a swamp before the Police arrived to take it away.
“In professional crime scene handling, a police officer or officers are supposed to remove the body,†says a retired officer. The unprofessional volunteers, he says, must have unknowingly destroyed vital evidence.
The angry residents also stormed Katerega’s shrine and burnt it to the ground. Among other things, the blood stained clothes the suspects were wearing when they committed the crime were burnt. During the Kasirye’s burial, the Masaka district CID chief, Rugumayo, lamented that the mob had burnt the shrine, before police intervened. “Vital exhibits were burnt,†he said.
However, today the police seems unbothered by this. “That is no problem. We can reconstruct a scene of crime,†CID head, Okoth Ochola said.
Proving the case against Katerega is actually the easier part since he and his wife confessed to the murder before a Masaka high court judge.
However, linking tycoon Kajubi to the murder is a far less straightforward matter. “The tycoon did not commit the murder, but if someone comes out to say that they murdered on his orders, then he is a suspected accomplice , which is as good as being a murderer,†explains Turinawe, of Turinawe and Mwebesa Advocates.
The Police has that person in Katerega. “That is very good evidence but it is not enough. It has to be collaborated,†Turinaawe argues. He explains that right now it is Katerega’s word against Kajubi’s, who denies the allegations.
Katerega claims that a butcher witnessed the handover of the boy’s head to Kajubi. If this is true, then the butcher would corroborate the evidence. Unfortunately, the Police has not yet arrested the said butcher.
In addition, Katerega was arrested and made the confession linking Kajubi to the murder on October 27. The Police did not find Kajubi until he went to them last Thursday, a month after the crime was committed. Yet, journalists have established that he has been in the country all along. Infact, journalists interviewed him at his Jinja home before he went to the Police.
With the news of the arrest of the witchdoctor and with a whole month to spare, if he was involved in the murder, wasn’t that enough time to tamper with any evidence linking him to the crime?
For instance, the Police has not found the head he allegedly bought and buried under one of his properties. Note that the Police only searched his properties four days ago.
Still, the Police are confident they will secure a conviction. “Is it you (the press) who first came up with Kajubi as a suspect? That came out in the course of our investigations. Plus, there is evidence to show that he believes in and practices witchcraft,†CID spokesperson Fred Enanga argues. He adds that while he cannot reveal the evidence they have, it is overwhelming and will secure them a conviction. “If we did not have a chance of winning, the DPP would not have sanctioned the file. That he did means that we have credible evidence.â€
Ochola says: “We investigate with the intention of securing a conviction. If you have any doubts, then let us wait for court.â€
Joseph Kasirye of Masaka was only 12 when death struck him in the most gruesome way. On October 26, while he was visiting an older friend, he met his death like only pigs do. He was bludgeoned to death before his head was severed off. His genitals were cut off as well, before the rest of the body was dumped in a swamp.
Bosco Katerega alias ‘Umar’, the friend he had been visiting, together with his wife Mariam Nabukeera and a local pig butcher allegedly carried out the gruesome deed. Katerega, a local witch doctor and his wife have since been arrested but the butcher is still at large.
Katerega alleges that he sold the boy’s severed part to a city tycoon, Kato Kajubi.
Following the publishing of his picture in the papers on Tuesday, Kajubi handed himself over to the police on Wednesday. He denies any involvement in the boy’s murder, although he admits that he has known Katerega for years. All three are currently in police custody.
Relatives and residents of Masaka are angry. “The suspects confessed to killing the boy, so what are police and court waiting for? They should be killed immediately,†says Mugwanya, the boy’s father.
Unfortunately for the parents, court does not work that way. Prosecution has to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt as city lawyer Julius Turinawe points out. But will the police present enough evidence to remove a shadow of doubt?
“The key to solving and effectively prosecuting such a crime depends on how vital evidence at, near or within the crime scene is handled,†says a retired CID officer.
How was the crime scene handled in Masaka?
Katerega was arrested the day young Kasirye disappeared. That very day, he confessed to killing the boy and the following day, residents mounted a search for the body, which they retrieved from a swamp before the Police arrived to take it away.
“In professional crime scene handling, a police officer or officers are supposed to remove the body,†says a retired officer. The unprofessional volunteers, he says, must have unknowingly destroyed vital evidence.
The angry residents also stormed Katerega’s shrine and burnt it to the ground. Among other things, the blood stained clothes the suspects were wearing when they committed the crime were burnt. During the Kasirye’s burial, the Masaka district CID chief, Rugumayo, lamented that the mob had burnt the shrine, before police intervened. “Vital exhibits were burnt,†he said.
However, today the police seems unbothered by this. “That is no problem. We can reconstruct a scene of crime,†CID head, Okoth Ochola said.
Proving the case against Katerega is actually the easier part since he and his wife confessed to the murder before a Masaka high court judge.
However, linking tycoon Kajubi to the murder is a far less straightforward matter. “The tycoon did not commit the murder, but if someone comes out to say that they murdered on his orders, then he is a suspected accomplice , which is as good as being a murderer,†explains Turinawe, of Turinawe and Mwebesa Advocates.
The Police has that person in Katerega. “That is very good evidence but it is not enough. It has to be collaborated,†Turinaawe argues. He explains that right now it is Katerega’s word against Kajubi’s, who denies the allegations.
Katerega claims that a butcher witnessed the handover of the boy’s head to Kajubi. If this is true, then the butcher would corroborate the evidence. Unfortunately, the Police has not yet arrested the said butcher.
In addition, Katerega was arrested and made the confession linking Kajubi to the murder on October 27. The Police did not find Kajubi until he went to them last Thursday, a month after the crime was committed. Yet, journalists have established that he has been in the country all along. Infact, journalists interviewed him at his Jinja home before he went to the Police.
With the news of the arrest of the witchdoctor and with a whole month to spare, if he was involved in the murder, wasn’t that enough time to tamper with any evidence linking him to the crime?
For instance, the Police has not found the head he allegedly bought and buried under one of his properties. Note that the Police only searched his properties four days ago.
Still, the Police are confident they will secure a conviction. “Is it you (the press) who first came up with Kajubi as a suspect? That came out in the course of our investigations. Plus, there is evidence to show that he believes in and practices witchcraft,†CID spokesperson Fred Enanga argues. He adds that while he cannot reveal the evidence they have, it is overwhelming and will secure them a conviction. “If we did not have a chance of winning, the DPP would not have sanctioned the file. That he did means that we have credible evidence.â€
Ochola says: “We investigate with the intention of securing a conviction. If you have any doubts, then let us wait for court.â€