Activists raise red flag over greater Luweero Juvenile murders
Security and residents at the scene where a 12-year old girl was beheaded by her own mother at Mpakaweero zone on Bombo Town Council, Luweero District on March 18, 2024. PHOTO/DAN WANDERA
What you need to know:
- While the exact time and date of the murder of 8-year old Patricia Aikolu is yet to be revealed by the police investigation team, she was kidnapped on March 21, 2024 as she returned from school together with two other children at Kasambya village in Ngoma Town Council in Nakaseke District.
Rights activists and authorities in the greater Luweero area are concerned about increasing juvenile murder cases.
The gruesome murders involving three juveniles killed in separate incidents within a space of one week in the greater Luweero areas between March 18 and 23, 2024 raises child rights challenges that must be addressed.
Mr Enoch Elly Mawanda, a child rights activist told the Monitor on March 29 that;
“We must find out about the child rights trends in the greater Luweero and possibly find the missing link. Three children killed in a space of one week raises questions about children's safety.”
The cases include the kidnap and murder of an 8-year old girl, whose remains were later retrieved at Kasambya village in Ngoma Subcounty on Monday March 25, 2024 brings the number of juveniles killed in a space of one week to three.
While the exact time and date of the murder of 8-year old Patricia Aikolu is yet to be revealed by the police investigation team, she was kidnapped on March 21, 2024 as she returned from school together with two other children at Kasambya village in Ngoma Town Council in Nakaseke District.
Patricia Aikolu (deceased) kidnapped and murdered in Nakaseke District on March 21, 2024. Photo/Courtesy
Savana Region Police Spokesperson Mr Sam Twineamazima told Monitor that the 8-year old Patricia Aikolu was kidnapped by a stranger at Kasambya village as she walked back home from Ngoma Church of Uganda Primary School together with two other children at about 1:00 pm on Friday March 21, 2024.
“The suspected kidnapper allegedly convinced the girl to help her chase the chicken at a nearby bush after handing over Shs2,000 to the other two children. The other two children waited and could not see their friend returning from the bush. They rushed home and informed the parents,” he said in his statement.
The police and residents made a fruitless search but could not find the missing girl until Monday March 25, 2024 when a decomposing body of the missing girl was recovered at one of the bushes at Kasambya village in Ngoma Town Council.
The beating to death of a 15-year old boy by a male adult currently on the run on Saturday March 23, 2024 is among the three juvenile murder incidents registered by the police in a period of one week.
Patrick Kibirige, the second murder victim was reportedly beaten into coma at Kiyenje village in Luweero Town Council by a male adult identified as Ssenkumba Kiwanuka before he succumbed to the pain and injuries after being dropped and abandoned at Luweero Hospital on March 23, 2023.
Savannah Police Spokesperson Mr Sam Twineamazima confirms that the suspect reportedly accused Kibirige of stealing Shs150,000 from at his home in Kiyenje village, Luweero Town Council.
“After beating the 15-year old into coma, the suspect transported the boy to Luweero Hospital and abandoned him in a state of unconsciousness. He reportedly informed the mother of the boy to come and attend to his son who had reportedly fallen sick and needed a caretaker at hospital,” he said.
On Monday March 18, residents of Mpakawero zone in Bombo Town Council, Luweero District woke up to a shocking incident after a mother beheaded her 12-year old daughter at her rented single room.
Both the investigators and residents got puzzled after the suspect was found holding the decapitated head of the 12-year old daughter in her hands. The mother of three children identified by police as Josephine Namatovu appeared not bothered, raising suspicion about her mental health status.
Ms Hajara Nakalembe, another rights activist attached to Child Care Enhanced Ministries Uganda on Thursday March 27 told Monitor that the child murder trends in the Luweero area are very saddening and need a quick investigation process.
“The murder of 3 children under unclear circumstances calls for a quick investigation. The children have been gruesomely killed in a space of less than one week. This is worrying,” she told the Monitor on March 27.
The 2023 Police annual crime report indicates that 100 juvenile murder cases were registered by the Police. The male juveniles murdered in 2023 were 65 while the number of female juveniles registered by police was 35. The total number of murder cases registered by police was 1,142 in the same period.
