By Frank Kamuntu
Four members of the same family have been shot dead in Namatale Village, Buwaya Sub-county, Mayuge District, while five others were rushed to Iganga and Mulago Hospital after sustaining severe gunshot wounds.
Busoga East Police Spokesperson, Ms Diana Nandaula, who said the family was attacked at around 9:30pm on June 29. He identified the deceased as family head Isaac Mudasi Buyinza, Nicholas Musasizi, 6, Resty Kantono 13, and Elesi Kafuko, 15.
The injured, according to Ms Nandaula, include; Ms Jessica Timugibwa and Harriet Kyozira, the family head’s wife and daughter respectively, Viola Kyakuwaire, Mr Buyinza’s sister in-law, and a relative only identified as Moreen among others.
Ms Nandaula said their preliminary investigations point to land wrangles in the family, adding that they are working on leads that one of the brothers is allegedly responsible for the crime.
“There has been a shooting incident where nine people from the same family were shot, leaving four dead; we have since established that the motive for the shooting was a land wrangle with a relative whom police are looking for,” Ms Nandaula said on June 30.
She added: “We have received information that this family was going to court next week over the land wrangle. The deceased were rushed to Iganga-Nakavule and Mulago Hospitals.”
Buwaya Sub-county LC3 chairman, Mr Hussein Kamali, said prior to his death, family head Buyinza had reportedly approached him and other local leaders, asking for security while complaining that people wanted him dead over ‘family issues’.
“The issue was taken lightly, and I didn’t know it would get to this; but I also wasn’t surprised to hear that he was dead,” he said.
The Namatale Village LC1 chairman, Edward Baliddawa, described “the biggest tragedy for the past 30 years he has been in office” as “shocking”, saying security in the area “has not been bad”.
The LC1 chairperson of neighbouring Nawanvubu village, Mr Siraje Tenywa, said Buyinza had also approached him saying his life was in danger and he advised him to file a formal complaint at Buwaya Police Station.
It remains unclear if a report was filed as Ms Nandaula asked for time to confirm.
Source: Daily Monitor.