The Inspector General of Police Lt. Gen. Kale Kahiyura has sent a team of detectives from the crime intelligence unit to investigate the alleged disappearance of people in Kasese town.
This follows complaints from residents of Kasese Municipality that the police in Kasese have been reluctant to investigate alleged murders and disappearance of people.
In April, Felix Mugyema, the mine superintendent at Kilembe Mines, went missing after he was sent to Kampala for official duties. He didn’t return from Kampala and since then his whereabouts are unknown.
In May, Miiro Kizito, a special hire driver in Kasese town, went missing after he was hired by unknown people to drive them to Kyenjojo district. The police in Kasese have since been tracing for the driver, but to no avail.
However, the detectives led by Joel Aguma, the deputy director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in-charge crime intelligence, recovered Miiro’s body on Thursday evening dumped in River Mpanga. Three people have been arrested in connection to the murder.
Aguma says that one of the suspects, who was in Kawmenge sent Miiro money through his mobile phone and told him to travel to Kyenjonjo town and pick two clients.
According to Aguma, when he reached Kyenjojo town, Miiro picked the clients, who then told him to go to Bufunjo Sub County and pick another person. However they turned against Miiro, tied his hands and hit him on the head with a hammer.
He says that the thugs drove to Kamwenge and dumped his body in River Mpanga.
Those arrested include John Macau, Ibra Atwine and Gad Turyatemba, all residents of Kasese municipality.
Aguma also says that the motive of the suspects was to steal and sell the vehicle, a Toyota Premio, at 6 million shillings in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
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Aguma said that the police are also investigating the disappearance of Mugyema and that some of the clues point to some staff at the mines who could have been behind his disappearance.
Aguma states that another case they are investigating is the murder of Amon Thembo, a veteran journalist in the district, who was shot dead by unknown assailants in May as he returned home in Kyogha in Mpondwe town council.
He says that although some suspects had been arrested, the case had stalled under unclear circumstances.
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Since May, there has been an increase in armed robberies and murders in Kasese town and residents have said that the police is non-existent in the district; in as far as security is concerned.
The incidents come at a time of tension between the Bakonzo and Basongora after the latter installed their own cultural leader. The Basongora say they do not recognise Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere as their king.
Voters in the area are heading for a by-election for Kasese Woman MP after court nullified the election of Winfred Kiiza.
