Shock and sorrow have engulfed residents of Nkarakara Cell, Rubaba Ward in Kamwenge District after a 39-year-old man allegedly murdered his five-year-old daughter and buried her in his compound, before being lynched by an enraged mob.
Police identified the man as Peter Bagonza, a resident of Kahunge Town Council, who is believed to have battled mental illness for more than two decades.
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According to Rwenzori West Regional Police Spokesperson SP Vincent Twesige, the incident occurred on Monday night at around 10 p.m. Bagonza is said to have returned home and, upon failing to find his wife, went to his mother-in-law’s house in the same neighbourhood to look for her.
“When he arrived, his wife and in-laws reportedly fled, leaving behind their young daughter, Mary Cynthia,” SP Twesige said. “He carried the child back home, where he allegedly killed her by cutting and later buried her in his compound.”
The following morning, residents passing by noticed a freshly dug grave with what appeared to be a child’s hand visible above the soil. Disturbed by the sight, they alerted local leaders, who then informed the police.
“By the time police were notified, the suspect had fled. The locals organised themselves, tracked him down and lynched him around 11:30 a.m.,” SP Twesige added.
Police from Kahunge and Kamwenge Stations later visited the scene and secured a court order to exhume the child’s remains. Both the bodies of the child and the suspect were examined by a medical officer before being handed over to relatives for burial.
Describing the incident as deeply tragic, SP Twesige urged communities to prioritise medical treatment and mental health support instead of resorting to mob justice.
“We continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this horrific event,” he said.
Police have since opened an inquiry into both the murder and the mob action.
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