Man defiles, kills 6-year- old girl

By Eddie Ssejjoba

The life of a 6-year- old girl came to an end after she befell prey to a 50-year-old man who defiled and later killed  her.

Maganjo Police Monday morning rescued the man from angry residents who wanted to lynch him.

The victim was a Primary Two of pupil at Waterbucks Junior School. Julie Namujuzi‘s body was found on Monday morning near a water trench in Jinja-Kaloli B zone in Maganjo, along the Kampala-Gulu highway.

Residents said they saw the half-naked body near a water trench and made alarm that attracted crowds. The mother, Hadija Nantaba, a charcoal seller said the girl disappeared on Sunday afternoon with a man from her workplace near Joyous Bar.

The Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman, Idd Ibin Ssenkumbi said the police suspect the assailant defiled the girl before strangling her because primary examinations indicated that her private parts had been severely dented.   

true
Julie Namujuzi

The body was half naked, according to eye witnesses, after the killer removed her knickers and skirt. It also had bruises.

The Police were detaining Eddy Mukiibi (50) at Kawempe Police Station after the angry mob wanted to lynch him. Police said they would keep the suspect, as investigate further into the incident continue.

Mukiibi bore a deep cut on his head after angry residents wanted to kill him before he was whisked away.

The grief-stricken sobbing mother narrated the ordeal, saying she had been overwhelmed by shock when she saw Julie’s body after spending the entire Sunday afternoon and Monday morning looking for her.

In her story, Nantaba said Mukiibi first approached her elder daughter, Julian Nabbaale (8) at about 2.00pm on Sunday, asking her to go and buy him cigarettes. She explained that she became suspicious and refused her to go.

“I don’t know what came to me, but immediately I refused my elder daughter to go, I asked myself, why this man wanted to send my daughter yet the shops are nearby. He is not busy in any way to buy cigarettes for himself,” she narrated in sobs.

She added that after the elder girl rejected his pleas, Mukiibi went to her younger sister who was playing a few meters away, with some other children.
true
Residents react as Police arrested the suspect. Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba

Nantaba became restless and suspicious when the girl was not with other children. She went everywhere, asking neighbors and friends, with no success.

She reported the matter to Maganjo Police post and later to Kawempe Police station and placed radio announcements.

 “I feel a lot of pain for my girl, she has been so obedient, ever around me but I cannot imagine how this happened,” she said.

She said someone called her on phone at about 7.am on Monday and broke the sad news.

Police suspect that the assailant defiled the girl from a house but after realizing that her condition was bad, he allegedly strangled her in an attempt to kill evidence. He later dragged the body and dumped it in Mayanja swamp, about 500metres from her mother’s workplace.

The area defense secretary, Henry Kalanzi described the suspect as a habitual drunkard and marijuana smoker who spends most of the time at drinking joints.

The officer in charge Maganjo Police post, Apollo Tayebwa addressed residents and warned them against mob justice. He cautioned them against razing down the man’s house.

He also appealed to whoever had information that could build the case to willingly give it to police.

He said some residents, including Mama Kagumba who were summoned to Police would be treated as witnesses since they could give vital leads to the murder.

Mama Kagumba said Mukiibi was drinking at her joint when he moved out calling the girl.

Shocked residents complained against men who spend all the time at drinking joints with no known employment, whom they said had become a security threat.