EDITOR
Police in Kabale District are investigating the gruesome murder of Kawiti Africano, a 60-year-old peasant and resident of Kigugo Village, Buhara Sub-county, following a land dispute.
The incident occurred during the night of January 21, 2025, under unclear circumstances. The case was reported to Buhara Police Station on January 22, 2025, by Tibamanya Paul, 79, the Local Council 1 chairperson of Kigugo Village.
According to preliminary investigations, the deceased had purchased a 40×90 ft plot of land from one of the suspects, Mwesigwa Rashid, in 2023 for UGX 4,000,000. However, Mwesigwa’s family later opposed the sale, claiming it was done at an unreasonably low price. They demanded Mwesigwa either recover the land or provide an alternative piece, which he failed to do.
Efforts by the family to reclaim the land escalated into threats and violence against Africano, leading to a criminal trespass case reported under Buhara SD 06/07/10/2024, which was still under investigation.
On January 21, 2025, in the morning hours, suspects Turinawe Beda and Niwagaba Nicholas reportedly confronted Africano, warning him to vacate the land or face dire consequences. Africano later sought assistance from Mwesigwa Rashid and urged him to stop his sons from issuing threats.
Tragically, Africano was found dead that same night. His body bore bruises and showed signs of internal bleeding, suggesting a violent assault.
A neighbor, Julius Abe, discovered Africano’s body and informed the area chairperson, who then reported the matter to Buhara Police Station. The District CID officer, alongside homicide and canine teams, visited the scene to gather evidence.
A police canine dog introduced to the scene led investigators directly to the suspects’ residence, resulting in the immediate arrest of Mwesigwa Rashid, Turinawe Beda, and Niwagaba Nicholas.
Police confirmed that the scene was thoroughly examined and documented. Statements from witnesses were recorded, and a postmortem examination was conducted. The suspects remain in police custody as inquiries into the murder continue.
ASP Elly Maate, Kigezi Region Police Spokesperson, stated, “This is a tragic culmination of a long-standing land dispute. We assure the public that justice will be served, and we appeal to residents to resolve disputes amicably to avoid such incidents.”
The police are urging the community to remain calm and provide any information that may aid the ongoing investigation.
