Jealous man burns wife of eight years with acid

By Meddie Musisi & Deborah Nanfuka

This is stuff only made of nightmares. Aisha Kyomugisha, a trader in Container Village, never imagined fate would be as harsh when her best friend, Josephine Namanda, succumbed to similar circumstances after her jealous husband emptied a can of acid in her face in November 2014.

The circumstances are in fact bizarre; her detractor, Imran Kaliisa, is her own husband and father to her 7-year old daughter, Shamim Kemigisha.

The couple shared a home in Makindye, Barracks Zone for eight years.  Kyomugisha's relatives say the couple had been having a long standing feud but they remained supportive nonetheless.

What beautiful Kyomugisha looked like before the life-changing attack

Misunderstandings developed when Kaliisa started working in Rwanda six years ago and left his wife, who was heavy, unattended to.

"At times he would return and spend just a day and go back, sometimes leaving her with nothing," they say.

Her relatives came to her rescue and helped to set her up a second hand shoe business in Container Village so she could fend for herself.

To Kaliisa, this was the start of problems and he accused his wife of infidelity. His efforts to dissuade her from working and urging her to instead hire an attendant fell short.

Meantime a determined Kyomugisha worked hard and grew her business, expanding to Park Yard and St. Balikuddembe market.

Kaliisa reportedly got tipped off by friends that his wife had another man thus his decision to return to Kampala to monitor her. He started working in Kikuubo last December.

Kaliisa put strict conditions for his wife among which was never to return home late.

Last Friday however Kyomugisha returned home late and Kaliisa accused her of having been out with men.

Floodgates of hell

Zamu Nalumansi, a neighbour to the couple, says on the fateful day the couple got into a fight. Kyomugisha fled to her house for refuge, with her terrified daughter in tow.

As Kyomugisha narrated to her what had happened Kaliisa came in hot pursuit and asked her if she had chosen to flee to her neighbour instead of her parents. He then ordered her to go back to the house and pack all her things and leave.

Unknown to them Kaliisa, like a crafty hunter, was luring his wife to hell. A few steps out of the neighbour's house, with her little girl in tow, Kaliisa, armed with a cup, sneaked up behind and emptied its contents in her face.

As it turned out he had just burnt his wife with acid, some of which splashed onto the little girl's back.

Nalumansi responded to calls for help as her friend screamed in anguish: "Help me 'Taata Shamim' has burnt me with acid!"

Nalumansi too sustained minor burns as drops of acid splashed off Kyomugisha's face.

Police suspect Kaliisa had for long planned the attack and that the acid had been procured and kept nearby.

The criminal investigations boss Katwe police, Benon Ayebare, said a manhunt is ongoing for Kaliisa who fled after the attack.

Edna Ayitamya, a sister to Kyomugisha cried out, saying it wouldn't be Kaliisa to carry out such a cowardly act after he abandoned his wife and they looked after her and his daughter.