Two held over Kyotera student's kidnap
Jun 13, 2018
Nathan Lutaaya, a second year student of Bikira Primary Teachers College-Kyotera, disappeared last week on his way to school.
PIC:The Masaka regional police spokesperson, Lameck Kigozi. (Credit: Davis Buyondo)
KIDNAP
KYOTERA - At least two men are being held in connection to the disappearance and death of an 18-year-old student in Kyotera.
Nathan Lutaaya, a second year student of Bikira Primary Teachers College-Kyotera, disappeared last week on his way to school.
On Tuesday, Lutaaya reached the college after nightfall. He then decided to sleep at Morris Guest House since the school does not permit entry of any student at night.
According to Lameck Kigozi, the Masaka regional police spokesperson, Lutaaya left the guest house the following morning and had gone missing since then.
Kigozi added that it is not clear whether Lutaaya was kidnapped from the guest house or on his way to school.
His suitcase, books and some clothes were later discovered at Kyapa-Kasensero junction along Kyotera-Mutukula highway, on Wednesday.
Residents contacted Bikira PTC administrators who informed his father, Godfrey Ssemwanga about his sons' kidnap.
Ssemwanga, a resident of Lwendawula ‘A' village in Ddwaniro sub-county in Rakai district reported the disappearance of his son at Mayanja police in Kakuuto and SD Ref. 07/06/06/2018 opened for investigations.
However, two suspects, Emmanuel Lukwago and a boda boda cyclist from the same village were arrested and separately detained at Kyotera and Kalisizo police stations to aid investigations.
Lutaaya was last seen in Lukwago's company a day before he disappeared. The bodaboda man was arrested on account that he picked Lutaaya from home to took him to the college. Therefore, the duo are suspected to know the boy's where abouts.
In the course of the investigations, information came in on Thursday that the waves on Lake Victoria had brought onshore, a body of an unidentified man at Kasensero landing site.
Kasensero police officers took a ‘temporary' postmortem and immediately burried it in the public cemetery.
They later sent pictures of the body to Kyotera police detectives to support the ongoing investigations.
Ssemwanga confirmed the discovered body to have been Lutaaya's.
Nathan Lutaaya the late. A former student of Bikira Primary Teachers College-Kyotera who was kidnapped and killed. (Courtesy photo)
On Friday, the deceased's family demanded to exhume the body for another postmortem and a decent burial but police declined saying they had to secure a court order.
Amos Mandela, the Buyamba county Member of Parliament, intervened and helped the family to get an exhumation order on Monday.
Kyotera and Kasensero police exhumed the body and took it to Kyotera for further postmortem.
After, the body was given to the family for burial which took place at Lwendawula village.
According to Kigozi, they are investigating the case in two angles of ritual murder and possible suicide.
He said they got leads that Lukwago has always lured Lutaaya out of school claiming he would teach him how to make money without formal education.
Another lead indicated that Lutaaya had genital dysfunction and his peers would always make fun of him.
But the accused have since denied involvement in Lutaaya's disappearance and death.
Kigozi explained that the suspects will be produced in court after conclusive investigations.