Rukungiri-Police in Rukungiri district are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 30-year-old bodaboda rider.
The deceased is Elias Bakamuzara, a resident of Rutooma Ruganda, Rwamujura, Mayanga sub-county in Mitooma district.
According to a police report, Ambrose Twemurikye, a 25-year-old saloon attendant at Rwamuzura in Mitooma district, used the deceased to go to Rukungiri, where they arrived at around 15:00 hrs. He mentioned that they had gone for shopping.
While in Rukungiri town, the deceased informed him that he was going to check on his girlfriend, but he did not disclose her name or location.
Additionally, the two agreed that after shopping, Ambrose would call the deceased, which he did three times, but in vain. The first time, the deceased picked up and promised to come, but he didn’t for the second call. For the third time, the phone was off, prompting Ambrose to hire a different motorcycle that returned him to Mitooma at 18:00 hrs.
Upon arrival in Mitooma, he informed residents and the owner of the motorcycle, a person named Mwesigye Benard, about the deceased’s disappearance from Rukungiri. With the help of a tracking device, the motorcycle was recovered on 18/10/2023 at around 10:00 hrs by Rukungiri Police from Turyatunga Moses, the area chairperson of Kigango Village, Ndago Parish, Nyarushanje Sub-county, who claimed to have received it from a resident named Kyarikunda Justina.
According to Justina, the motorcycle was brought home by her grandson, Kwikiriza Benson, in the company of another person not known to her on 17/10/2023 during the morning hours. Because the two had disappeared, she suspected the motorcycle might be stolen or unlawfully obtained, thus handing it over to the authorities.
Having recovered the motorcycle, it was handed in at CPS Rukungiri with reference to SD 51/18/10/2023 and inquiries regarding the disappearance of its rider were initiated.
ASP Elly Maate, the Kigezi region police spokesperson, informed our reporter today that on 23/10/2023 at around 09:00 hrs at Kaitumura cell, Northern B ward, Eastern division, Rukungiri Municipality/District, Agatha Kenganzi found an unidentified body in her garden located near Kabanguha river. She informed her husband, Kabigumira Obed, who then notified Mr. David Tumwesigye, the Mayor of the Eastern division, who in turn informed the police at CPS Rukungiri for further management.
Maate adds that upon receiving the information, the scene of the crime was visited, examined, and documented. The body was retrieved and conveyed to Rwakabengo Health Center III for possible identification and postmortem to ascertain the actual cause of death. A strong rope was found tied around the body’s neck, indicating strangulation.
Maate confirmed that inquiries into the matter are ongoing, and the case has been registered at Rukungiri CPS under reference number CRB 1324/2023.
