Bugolobi parents meet baby's killers
Jun 29, 2010
WHAT would you do when you meet the killers of your beloved son? Insult, spite or strangle them? This was not the case when the parents of Kham Kakama met his killers on Monday evening.
By Eddie Ssejjoba
and Andante Okanya
WHAT would you do when you meet the killers of your beloved son? Insult, spite or strangle them? This was not the case when the parents of Kham Kakama met his killers on Monday evening.
The men confessed to court to killing the 18-month-old baby a day after kidnapping him from home in Bugolobi, an upscale suburb of Kampala, on June 8.
“This has been an important meeting that has helped to take away our worries. We are now closing all the mystery related to the killing of our son,†the mother, Naome Karikaho, said.
Naome and husband Sven Karikaho met Godwin Tumusiime, the key suspect in the murder, and his accomplice, Brian Ssajjabbi, at the Police headquarters’ boardroom on Monday evening.
Before the meeting, the suspects had spent the day at Nakawa Magistrate’s Court where they confessed that they killed the baby.
At the meeting was Police chief Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, the detectives in charge of the case and Karihakos’ relatives.
The three-hour emotional and tense ‘conversation’ lasted up to 9:00pm. Kayihura allowed the meeting to let the couple try to get answers about the murder and the killers’ motive.
Sources said the parents sighed in disbelief as they listened to the long narration of the suspects, with Kayihura interjecting with questions for clarity.
The parents reportedly shook their heads repeatedly and closed their eyes to hold back tears as Tumusiime recounted the ordeal Kham suffered.
He was suffocated to death with a polythene bag, according to a postmortem report. Tumusiime, however, did not say how he killed the baby. He looked remorseful and answered questions with ease.
His accomplice, Ssajjabbi, however, denied taking part in the killing.
“Meeting these men has taken away my suspicion on their motive. Since they are in Police hands, let the law take its course,†Naome said after the meeting.
During her moving eulogy during the funeral service at All Saints Church Nakasero, Naome appealed to Kayihura to allow her talk to the killers.
She was perturbed why they killed her son despite paying the sh30m ransom.
A source at the meeting said the couple was at first composed, their eyes transfixed on the killers.
They listened as Tumusiime recited how he hatched the kidnap plot, but remained puzzled why the men, whom they had never met before, picked on them.
According to the source, Tumusiime confessed to have abducted the child with the sole motive of extorting money from the parents.
He, however, stuttered whenever he was asked why he killed the child after the ransom was paid.
Ssajjabi refused to say more, prompting outburst from the relatives who were more hostile to the suspects. Naome, however, insisted that they had forgiven the killers.
“For sure, we are not revenging on them or wish them to be lynched. We hope the legal system will give its best for justice to prevail.â€
Meanwhile, the maid, Molly Nabaasa, who handed over the baby to Tumusiime at a local bar in Bugolobi, is still under Police custody.
Nabaasa was Tumusiime’s lover and had apparently untrusted him with the care of the baby as she looked for airtime. When she returned, the man had vanished with the baby.
and Andante Okanya
WHAT would you do when you meet the killers of your beloved son? Insult, spite or strangle them? This was not the case when the parents of Kham Kakama met his killers on Monday evening.
The men confessed to court to killing the 18-month-old baby a day after kidnapping him from home in Bugolobi, an upscale suburb of Kampala, on June 8.
“This has been an important meeting that has helped to take away our worries. We are now closing all the mystery related to the killing of our son,†the mother, Naome Karikaho, said.
Naome and husband Sven Karikaho met Godwin Tumusiime, the key suspect in the murder, and his accomplice, Brian Ssajjabbi, at the Police headquarters’ boardroom on Monday evening.
Before the meeting, the suspects had spent the day at Nakawa Magistrate’s Court where they confessed that they killed the baby.
At the meeting was Police chief Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, the detectives in charge of the case and Karihakos’ relatives.
The three-hour emotional and tense ‘conversation’ lasted up to 9:00pm. Kayihura allowed the meeting to let the couple try to get answers about the murder and the killers’ motive.
Sources said the parents sighed in disbelief as they listened to the long narration of the suspects, with Kayihura interjecting with questions for clarity.
The parents reportedly shook their heads repeatedly and closed their eyes to hold back tears as Tumusiime recounted the ordeal Kham suffered.
He was suffocated to death with a polythene bag, according to a postmortem report. Tumusiime, however, did not say how he killed the baby. He looked remorseful and answered questions with ease.
His accomplice, Ssajjabbi, however, denied taking part in the killing.
“Meeting these men has taken away my suspicion on their motive. Since they are in Police hands, let the law take its course,†Naome said after the meeting.
During her moving eulogy during the funeral service at All Saints Church Nakasero, Naome appealed to Kayihura to allow her talk to the killers.
She was perturbed why they killed her son despite paying the sh30m ransom.
A source at the meeting said the couple was at first composed, their eyes transfixed on the killers.
They listened as Tumusiime recited how he hatched the kidnap plot, but remained puzzled why the men, whom they had never met before, picked on them.
According to the source, Tumusiime confessed to have abducted the child with the sole motive of extorting money from the parents.
He, however, stuttered whenever he was asked why he killed the child after the ransom was paid.
Ssajjabi refused to say more, prompting outburst from the relatives who were more hostile to the suspects. Naome, however, insisted that they had forgiven the killers.
“For sure, we are not revenging on them or wish them to be lynched. We hope the legal system will give its best for justice to prevail.â€
Meanwhile, the maid, Molly Nabaasa, who handed over the baby to Tumusiime at a local bar in Bugolobi, is still under Police custody.
Nabaasa was Tumusiime’s lover and had apparently untrusted him with the care of the baby as she looked for airtime. When she returned, the man had vanished with the baby.