City tycoon surrenders himself over child sacrifice charges

Nov 27, 2008

THE Kampala tycoon accused of the ritual murder of a 12-year-old boy gave himself to the Police yesterday.

By Herbert Ssempogo and Eddie Ssejjoba

THE Kampala tycoon accused of the ritual murder of a 12-year-old boy gave himself to the Police yesterday.

Godfrey Kato Kajubi refuted the allegations against him. “I have been in Busoga monitoring the construction of my house,” he said. “I was alarmed when I saw my picture in the newspapers.”

The Police paraded the handcuffed and barefoot Kajubi before journalists. Guarded by about 10 policemen, the wealthy businessman was driven from the Central Police Station to the Police headquarters at Parliament Avenue in Kampala.

Although he admitted knowing the traditional healer who executed the murder, Kajubi denied asking them to be-head Joseph Kasirye.

The man who owns private shrines in Masaka and numerous houses in Kampala appeared unmoved when he was led to the boardroom where the Police addressed a news conference. Police chief Kale Kayihura, however, stopped journalists from questioning him, saying it would interfere with investigations. Kajubi was later led to the backyard, where curious Police staff and visitors gathered around him.

“Why didn’t you kill your child,” one shouted at him.

Kajubi allegedly hired Umaru Kateregga alias Bosco, 27, and his Tanzanian wife, Mariam Nabukeera, to murder Kasirye at Kayugi village in Mutundwe sub-county, Masaka.

Kajubi promised sh12m but paid sh350,000 for the job, the couple said in a statement to the Police.

Kajubi, who turned himself in on Wednesday night, told Bukedde, The New Vision sister paper, that his creditors were behind the allegations.

Some 14 cases of ritual murder have been recorded over the past 10 months, Kayihura said, adding that 11 cases are before court.

Kayihura asked district Police chiefs and local councils to monitor social gatherings from which criminals sometimes kidnap children.

Bukedde recently reported that a mason witnessed the murder of a seven-year-old girl by another city businessman.

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