DNA test links witchdoctor to businessman''s death

By Fred Turyakira

Police detectives investigating the murder of a businessman in Mbarara say a recent DNA test links one of the key suspects to the murder.

They say it is a “major breakthrough” into their quest to find the people behind the killing.

They have arrested five people believed to have had a role in the murder.

 Denis Murangira 35, a resident of Karugangama village, Mbarara Municipality was found dead on July 25 this year.

Martin Abilu, the south-western region police commander, told New Vision on Sunday that they [Police] have “concrete evidence” that a witchdoctor from Rubindi town was at the murder scene.

According to Police, the DNA tests revealed that the finger prints found on the body of the deceased were of Bwambale Ssalongo, as known as Matata.

Fingerprints also found on the vehicle of the murdered businessman were linked to the 30-year-old witchdoctor.

Murangira’s body was found at a valley dam belonging to the Ankole prince in Kariro near Rubindi along Mbarara-Ibanda road.

Ssalongo was charged in court with other four suspects.

The other suspects are: Samuel Bogere 34, a resident of Kitabo I in Kashongi sub-county; Osbert Mwesigye 39, a mechanic from Mbarara town; Godfrey Matsiko alias Kaggwa, a bodaboda cyclist in Rubindi and another only identified by our reporter as Kakofira.

Mwesigye and Matsiko are both residents of Nombe village, Kashare sub-county in Mbarara.

Police says the businessman is likely to have been killed in the evening hours and his lifeless body dumped in his vehicle (UAF 143K) in Kakoma village.

The circumstances that led his orchestrated murder are still hazy. But Police suspect that Murangira visited the witchdoctor to seek a financial fortune.

But when the deal yielded nothing in the short run, the deceased demanded to have his money back. This might have caused the feud, Police suspect.

They recovered a bottle with a chemical substance, which the suspects administered to him to sedate him before hitting him on the back of the head.

Inspector Abilu says they are awaiting results from the chemical which is being taken to find out if it was linked to the murder.

Further investigations are on to find the murderers and the actual cause of the brutal act.

The deceased leaves behind two children with their widowed mother, Sarah.