Family of 4, burnt to ash in Sheema district

By Chris Mugasha & Abraham Muganzi

Shock and grief gripped residents of Kihunda village in Kagango Sub County in the western district of Sheema Tuesday morning when they woke up to the news that a family of four had been burnt to ash.

The deceased were identified as Margaret Mahuruba, 70, Jonan Mutungi, 24, John Asasira, 12, and a housemaid who was only identified as Anorin aged 15. According to family sources the four were killed and bundled into one room before the house was set ablaze. They further said that all household property was first.
 
According to a postmortem report carried out by Dr Horace Kizito of Kitagata Hospital, they were first murdered before they were set ablaze. The report indicates that the bodies had deep cuts on the necks, legs and heads.

"We suspect these people were murdered by thieves, because some property is missing from the house. This family was not involved in any wrangles at all,” the chairperson LC 1 Perez Bagumire said.

"You might find that the suspects thought the family had received some money," he added.

The Mid-South Western region police commander Hillary Kulayige said the ash is to be taken to the government chemist's laboratory at Wandegeya in Kampala to ascertain whether they were burnt by arsonists.

 “We are yet to ascertain whether these were arsonists,” Kulayige who visited the scene explained. Kulayige however said, “The residents suspect some people burnt them.”

He however said that according to some information they have so far gathered, the family has not been embroiled in any conflict with anyone in the village. Kulayige described the incident as unfortunate but pledged to bring the suspects to book.

Addressing the residents, Kulayige asked local councils leaders to be vigilant and monitor people who loiter in the villages.

 Kulayige advised the locals to collaborate with their leaders and other established security committees to intensify night patrols and file reports about such people in villages whose movements are not clear.