UCU Law finalist found dead at lover’s apartment

The late David Kibirige, a fourth year Law student at UCU, was found dead at his girlfriend’s apartment in Lubaga Village, Jinja South Division on July 25. PHOTOS COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • At Jinja Hospital mortuary where the deceased’s family and relatives gathered, the father, Mr John Kasule said his son was murdered, contradicting information from a police source that he had committed suicide.
  • Ms Joana Waisana, described her late brother as a ‘friendly and peaceful boy with no clear motive to commit suicide’.

Police in Jinja City are holding a 39-year-old woman over the death of her alleged lover and fourth year Law student at Uganda Christian University (UCU).

Mr David Kibirige, 30, was on Sunday morning found dead in an apartment belonging to Ms Rita Ojuki in Lubaga Village, Jinja South Division.

Mr Maurice Niyonzima, the acting Jinja district police commander, confirmed Mr Kibirige’s death and Ms Ojuki’s arrest, but declined to divulge details.

At Jinja Hospital mortuary where the deceased’s family and relatives gathered, the father, Mr John Kasule said his son was murdered, contradicting information from a police source that he had committed suicide.

Ms Joana Waisana, described her late brother as a ‘friendly and peaceful boy with no clear motive to commit suicide’.

“His aunt spoke to the couple on Saturday between 2pm and 4pm and all was okay,” she said, adding that the couple met barely six months ago but has endured a tumultuous relationship characterised by several break-ups and make-ups.

“Often, David would tell me it’s over between him and Rita, only to learn that they have got back together. We trusted Rita with David’s life but never had a chance to speak to him because she couldn’t let us do so,” Ms Waisana said.

According to Ms Waisana, for the past couple of days, the family was aware that the deceased was with Rita, whom they now allege wasn’t a clean girl in all aspects.

“What we found at her apartment is evidence that she wasn’t a clean girl, including alcohol, drugs and cigarettes,” she said.

Mr Kasule said he last spoke to his son on Thursday when he visited him at his home in Bugembe, after which he reportedly said he was going to town.

“At around 3am on Sunday, I got a call from an unidentified male saying I should rush to Rita’s home with a car. My first instinct was that my son was sick, but had no way of getting a car at such an hour during a curfew. I then decided to walk from Bugembe to town, but after 20 minutes, the same person rang, this time rudely asking what was taking me long to arrive. I demanded to speak to Rita, but he offensively asked: ‘Am I not also a person’?” Mr Kasule said.

Luckily, he said he found a boda boda which dropped him at Ms Ojuki’s apartment where many people had gathered and were mumbling: “They have killed him!”

By press time the body was still at the Jinja hospital morgue awaiting an autopsy before being handed over to the family for burial, tentatively on Monday (tomorrow) at Nawangaiza in Kamuli District.