77-year-old female inmate killed by colleague at Luzira

A 77-year-old female inmate who has been serving a 19-year jail term for the murder of her husband has been killed by a colleague at Luzira women prison.

Mr Frank Baine, the Uganda Prisons Spokesperson, said on Friday that Zainabu Aguti was killed by Joan Bainomugisa after the two developed a misunderstanding.

“Yes, it is true a female prisoner LWP169/20 Joan Bainomugisha, a convict of murder sentenced to 19 years and 6 months emitted violence to a fellow convict of murder, number LWP39/06 Zainabu Aguti,” he said on Friday.

“This happened as they were cleaning their ward. Bainomugisha hit and injured Aguti who later succumbed to injuries while in the prison hospital,” Mr Baine added.

This is the second time Bainomugisha is killing a fellow inmate. In 2020, she killed Betty Nyesigire who was on remand on murder charges at Masindi Prison.

Nyesigire had been taking care of Bainomugisa who was isolated from the other inmates after developing a mental problem.  She was hit with a blunt object when she entered Bainomugisa’s room. Prison warders found Nyesigire’s body in a pool of blood inside Bainomugisha’s room.

Bainomugisa was transferred from Masindi Prison to Luzira Maximum Prison for better management.

"We call it inmate violence. Those who do murder, l think there's a way blood affects them. They always want to do it again. She (victim) was cleaning the ward where they sleep. The suspect has been in isolation because she has been having some erratic character," Mr Baine said.

Additional reporting by URN