Kiruhura – Police in Kiruhura district have in custody, a 59 year old woman over alleged murder of her two grandchildren in revenge for mistreatment by her two sons.
Police facts indicate that on the January 11, 2023, at around 3pm, while at Kenshunga 1 cell, in Kiruhura district, the suspect identified as Mable Tumukuzire developed a serious misunderstanding with her two sons, Gastonia Muramuzi and Onesmus Akatuhwera, which prompted her to call her other son, Justus Mwesigwa (29), a businessman of the same village and told him how his brothers wanted to fight her, before threatening to leave the home and never return.
The son reportedly responded and reached home at around 2am, but did not find her mother and two grandchildren, namely; Daton Gumisiriza a 7 year old son of Gastonia Muramuzi and Prosper Akatuhwera, a 2 year old son of Onesmus Akatuhwera missing from home. When they called her to find her whereabouts, she insisted that they would never see her again.
According to Fred Enanga the police spokesperson, on January 12, 2023, at around 7am, a search led to the recovery of the first body of the deceased at Dege’s farm, located about 1.3kms away from the suspect’s home while the second body of the grandchild was recovered from Jolly’s dam, located 300 metres away from the suspects home.
“Upon recovery, it was established that the bodies of the victims had swollen stomachs, and with external injuries.The suspect claims she pushed the victims into the valley dams with the help of her husband, Sarapio Katwiremunda, where they drowned and died,” said Enanga
He says a serious manhunt for the husband who is in hiding is ongoing.
In addition, it is alleged the suspect was not happy, with her son, Onesmus Akatuhwera, for marrying a woman with a child from an earlier marriage and has always threatened her daughter-in-law to leave her home with her child.
“In this circumstance, the motivation was anger and revenge, which cost the lives of two innocent grandchildren,” said Enanga
He noted that the suspect is to be charged with two counts of murder, as a serious manhunt for her husband continues.
The police publicist says the above incident shows how children continue to be at great risk, even at the hands of persons, who are so close to them, like the grandparents to the victims.