The Kanungu District territorial police are currently holding two suspects in custody on allegations of killing their biological grandmother during a land conflict in Muramba Parish, Rutenga Subcounty.
The spokesperson for the Kigezi Region police ASP Elly Maate has identified the suspects as Banabas Tumwesigye, a 45-year-old biological son of the deceased, and his son Francis Kanyesigye. Both individuals are accused of murdering their grandmother, identified as Kyitaragabirwe Vangilista, a 72-year-old resident of Nyarushanje village in Muramba Parish, Rutenga Subcounty, Kanungu District.
According to ASP Maate, it is alleged that on June 3, 2023, at approximately 8:00 am, the deceased left her home in search of potential buyers for her eucalyptus trees.
At around 10:00 am, her grandson, Francis Kanyesigye, approached her pretending to be interested in purchasing the trees. They went together to inspect the trees in the eucalyptus grove.
Maate informed journalists that later, the grandson went to the nearest trading center and began informing people that he had discovered his grandmother dead in the eucalyptus grove.
Upon hearing this, community members hurried to the scene and found the victim deceased, with visible strangulation marks on her neck. Suspicion arose due to an ongoing land conflict between the deceased and her son.
The police were alerted, and the crime scene was promptly visited and processed. The body was examined at the scene before being released to the relatives for a proper burial. Two suspects were apprehended and detained to aid in the ongoing investigation.
The Police Spokesperson highlights that a case of severe murder by strangulation has been registered at Kanungu District Police Station under reference number CRB 394/2023. The investigation is still ongoing, and inquiries are being conducted.