Prime
Engola shooting: Family stuck with Private Sabiiti's empty grave
The grave where they plan to bury Pte Sabiiti in Mubali Village, Kabarole District. PHOTO/ALEX ASHABA
What you need to know:
- Mr John Mwesinge, the chairperson of Mubali Village, said the delayed burial has left them stranded.
- The family says they have been left in the dark on when Pte Wilson Sabiiti’s body will be released for burial.
The family of Private Wilson Sabiiti is stuck with the grave, which they dug last week as his final resting place, as they await the release of his remains.
The grave was dug last Saturday in anticipation of the release of Sabiiti’s remains for burial.
The family said for two weeks now the army has continued to hold onto the remains of their son and failed to communicate to them on when his body will be released.
They said they only see information in newspapers and TVs but with no clear information on when to release the body.
On May 2, Pte Sabiiti shot dead State minister for Labour Col (Rtd) Charles Okello Engola before taking his own life.
When this publication visited Sabiiti’s family in Mubali Village, Kijura Town Council in Kabarole District yesterday, we found mourners still gathered at his home waiting for the body.
The members said when the minister was buried last week on Saturday, they had hoped that the body of their son would be released thereafter for burial but to date, no communication has been made to the family.
Ms Olivia Musiimenta, the sister of the deceased, said they constructed the grave after watching a story on NTV Uganda in which the army said would transport the deceased’s remains to the home but would not help in the burial arrangements.
“Our hope was that after the burial of the minister, the next step was to release his body, we told local people to start digging the grave but up to now, we are stuck; we don’t know when we shall get it,” she said.
She said last week, the family members made a budget of Shs5.2 million to facilitate the burial arrangements but they have not managed to raise funds.
Ms Musiimenta said every day, they feed about 40 people who come to their home but now they have run out of food, which was being contributed by residents.
“In two days, we buy about 30kg of beans and 25kg of posho to feed people but it is becoming expensive on my side, I spend about Shs100,000 every two days but I am now stuck, we appeal to people to contribute some money to us,” she said.
The deceased’s mother, Ms Uwezeyi Keduresi, told this publication yesterday that he only received a phone call the day his son died from an unknown UPDF officer who was informing her of the demise.
Since then, she said, she has not received any communication from the army or government.
Ms Keduresi said every morning she sees the empty grave in her compound, she gets traumatised.
“I don’t know whether by the time government releases his body I will be still alive because I am very weak,” she said.
She said some relatives who had come expecting for burial have started going back.
Mr Tusingwire Karimunda, a relative of the deceased, said they keep emptying water from the grave whenever it rains.
Mr Saidi Biryomumaisho, the brother of the deceased, said he came from Kagadi District for burial two weeks ago but is now stranded.
“I am thinking of going back and I miss the burial, as a family we are now left to keep looking at the empty grave,” he said.
Mr John Mwesinge, the chairperson of Mubali Village, said the delayed burial has left them stranded.
“It is unfortunate to the family to keep seeing the empty grave for days, if we had not constructed it, I was going to hold a meeting with family members to do some cultural norms and we end the burial but now we can’t do it, we can’t close the grave empty,” he said.
“No body from my village or family can now confront the government. They all fear that they can be arrested, but as mourners we request the government to bring the body of our son for a decent burial,” he added.
The family also said investigations can be done even after the burial.
When contacted last evening, army spokesperson Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye said he doesn’t know when the body will be released by investigators.
“A body of inquiry headed by Col Abdul Rugumayo, the Deputy Chief of Military Intelligence, was formed to investigate the murder,” Brig Kulayigye said.
Efforts to reach Col Rugumayo were futile by press time.
Worrying trend
The recent police annual crime report indicates an increase of cases reported to police by 30 percent. In the year 2022, 6,854 robberies cases were reported to the police compared to 5,275 cases reported in 2021. Simple robbery cases were 4,338 while aggravated robbery-complaints topped 2,516. By the end of 2022, out of the total cases of robberies reported to police, 1,831 cases were taken to court, 224 did not go beyond police, while 4,799 remained under inquiry..
Additional reporting by Priscilla Maloba
