Four family members of the late Dr Jino Abiriga, acting Masindi district health officer (DHO), have been arrested to aid investigations into his mysterious death. The doctor, also a surgeon at Masindi Hospital, was found dead in a neighbor’s compound in Kijura North, Central Division, Masindi Municipality, with wounds to his neck and abdomen.
Julius Allan Hakiza, the Albertine region Police spokesperson, confirmed the arrests, stating, “We have four of his children because when we were doing our search, we established that there were blood stains in the house. They have been arrested to help us in the investigations.”
The detained family members are currently held at Masindi Central Police Station, and Hakiza emphasized that updates on the progress of the investigations would be provided. He explained the need to understand why there were blood stains in the house, even though the body was found a few meters away. The police spokesperson clarified that the arrests were not an outright accusation but a measure to gather information.
Eyewitnesses at the scene suggested that Abiriga might have been killed elsewhere, with the body later dumped in the neighbor’s compound. Simon Peter, the LCI chairperson of Kijura North, revealed that Abiriga had been called to the hospital to attend to a case but never returned. The crime scene appeared to have limited blood droplets, raising questions about the circumstances of his death.
Simon Peter, who had known Abiriga for years, expressed surprise at the news, stating, “I have stayed with him in my village, but I have never heard that he had a conflict.”
At the time of his untimely demise, Dr Jino Abiriga had been serving as the acting DHO for approximately two years. With a career spanning about 30 years, he was a dedicated gynecologist at Masindi Hospital. In addition to his public service, Abiriga owned a private clinic named Wanainchi Clinic in Masindi town.
The ongoing investigation seeks to unravel the circumstances leading to Abiriga’s death, shedding light on a tragedy that has left the community in shock and mourning.
