Three held over kidnap, murder of 14-year-old boy

What you need to know:

  • Case. This is the second case of kidnap in the region since the year begun. Mr Kasasira said in January, a boy was kidnapped from Isingiro District and taken to Kampala. He was rescued by police and the two alleged kidnappers were arrested, charged with kidnap in Mbarara District and remanded.

Rwizi region police are holding three people over kidnap and killing of a 14-year-old boy in Isingiro District last week.
The trio reportedly kidnapped Peter Oscar Muhairwe on February 3 from Kaberebere Town Council and later killed him after they demanded Shs7m ransom.

The suspects were arrested on Saturday after directing the police to where they had buried the boy. His remains were exhumed on Monday.

Muhairwe was a student of Kagera Secondary School in Ibanda District. He lived with his uncle, Mr Mitrine Mujuni.
The Rwizi region police spokesperson, Mr Samson Kasasira, said Mr Mujuni reported a case of a missing person on February 4.
“He went with his uncle to the market in Kaberebere to do shopping. The uncle later gave him Shs1,000 to board and go back home, however, the boy disappeared from that day,” Mr Kasasira said on Monday.

Ransom
The mother of the deceased, Ms Jacklene Natukunda, said the kidnappers called her on February 4 asking for Shs7 million ransom.
She talked to the son on phone before he was killed.
He told me: “Mummy I am not playing around, these men want to kill me and they need Shs7 million.”
Ms Natukunda then informed the child’s father who lives in Rwanda of the unfortunate incident. The father sent her Shs5 million on February 5.

“Before sending them Shs5 million, I asked the kidnappers to first allow me talk to the child.
“They demanded that we first send them Shs200,000 to allow us talk to the child. I sent the money (Shs200,000) but they gave me a different person on phone, the child had already been killed,” Ms Natukunda said on Monday.
The boy had his hands and legs tied with ropes and he was kept in a pit-latrine as they demanded ransom. He was later killed and buried 50 metres from the pit-latrine.

Working with Mr Kenneth Tindyebwa, a technical tracking officer attached to Rwambomu Security Service Company, police arrested the first suspect from Shuuku in Sheema District and he led them to his alleged accomplices who were in Katete Nyamitanga Division in Mbarara Municipality.

“Our advice is don’t give kidnappers money because when you give them money, it is an encouragement to for them to keep doing the same,” Mr Kasasira said.
Mr Kasasira said the suspects will be taken to court to answer charges of murder.

KIDNAP

Case. This is the second case of kidnap in the region since the year begun. Mr Kasasira said in January, a boy was kidnapped from Isingiro District and taken to Kampala. He was rescued by police and the two alleged kidnappers were arrested, charged with kidnap in Mbarara District and remanded.