A distressing incident has occurred in Mayuge district. Muhammud Baligasima, aged 23, committed a heinous act by raping and murdering his own 40 year old aunt, Fatuma Mutesi, who was the wife of Yaket Kaveera. The motive behind this brutal act stemmed from Mutesi’s refusal to accept Baligasima’s sexual advances.
The tragic incident took place on the evening of Wednesday, April 10, 2024, around 7:00 pm, at Isenda village in Kigandalo sub-county. Diana Nandawula, the Busoga East Police region spokesperson, provided details of the horrifying event to media outlets.
According to Nandawula, preliminary investigations suggest that Baligasima, while left alone with Mutesi by his uncle Kaveera, seized the opportunity to enter their house. There, he perpetrated the despicable acts of rape and murder, utilizing a pounding stick as his weapon of choice.
Nandawula further elaborated that Baligasima had a history of making unwanted sexual advances towards the wives of his uncles. Mutesi was not the first to reject his advances. Fearing potential repercussions of her reporting his behavior to authorities, Baligasima resorted to the extreme measures of rape and murder.
The enraged community members took matters into their own hands upon discovering the gruesome crime. They tracked Baligasima to his home, where he met his demise at the hands of the furious residents. Baligasima, who had recently been released from a one year jail term for housebreaking, had returned to live with his uncle Kaveera just days before the incident.
The bodies of both Baligasima and Mutesi were found at the scene by the authorities. They were taken to Kigandalo Health Centre IV for postmortem examinations before being handed over to their respective families for burial.
Local leaders, including Isenda village chairperson Bumali Kawanguzi and Kigandalo sub-county councillor Ibrahim Gavamukulya, expressed shock and called for measures to prevent such tragedies in the future. Gavamukulya emphasized the importance of providing counseling to ex-convicts before their reintegration into society and urged district authorities to intensify efforts to combat gender-based violence.
This unfortunate incident marks the first reported case of murder following rape in the Busoga East region. While the occurrence of rape cases has decreased according to police reports.
According to Diana Nandawula, the Busoga East Police region spokesperson, the severity of such incidents underscores the ongoing need for proactive measures to address gender based violence and ensure the safety and security of all members of the community not just in the region but the entire country.
