Retired UPDF soldier murdered at his home

The body of Sarapio Magyezi Mawanda being conveyed to Mbarara regional referral hospital for postmortem. Inset is Magyezi when he was still alive. Photos | Milton Bandiho

What you need to know:

  • The greater Bushenyi police spokesperson said the deceased was staying in the house alone and his casual worker Jackson Tumusiime was staying in the boy’s quarters.

Police in Bushenyi District are investigating circumstances under which a retired UPDF soldier was murdered in cold blood.

Cpl Mawanda Sarapio Magezi, 60, a resident of Bucuma cell, Kigoma-Kizinda Town Council was discovered dead on Wednesday morning, Mr Marcial Tumusiime, the greater Bushenyi police spokesperson, has said.

"The deceased was found lying down in a pool of blood in his house with multiple deep injuries on his head and neck. The back door was found broken, an indicator that it's what the assailants used to gain access to the house," Mr Tumusiime said. 

He said the deceased was staying in the house alone and his casual worker Jackson Tumusiime was staying in the boy’s quarters.

The casual labourer told police that they left the hotel owned by Magezi at around 10PM, and on reaching home, they fed pigs and entered their respective houses to sleep.

“As soon as my boss entered his house, unknown people broke in and I heard him making an alarm. I opened my room, ran to the kitchen and took cover,” he said, adding that the assailants started looking for him in all the other rooms and eventually went away after failing to find him.

“I feared to make an alarm until morning when I got out of the kitchen and informed our neighbours."

Ms Bridget Natukunda, a neighbour, eulogized Magezi as a bold person whose messages on HIV/AIDS prevention and management changed the lives of many people.

"He turned into an HIV/AIDS activist in 2014 after he was diagnosed with the virus and his message has changed the lives of many people not only in Bushenyi but also in other parts of the country," she said.

The motives of the killers remain unknown as investigations continue. By press time Wednesday evening, police were yet to arrest any suspect to help with investigations. Magezi’s body was taken to Mbarara regional referral hospital for postmortem.