Robert Kakanyisa, a 43-year-old secondary school teacher, is set to reappear before the Mbarara Chief Magistrate’s court on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, for committal to the High Court. Kakanyisa, employed at Ryakasinga Centre for Higher Education (CHE) in Sheema district, has been on remand over the alleged murder of his 33-year-old wife, Christine Komuhangi, also a teacher at Kitwe Seed Secondary School in Ntungamo district.
During a hearing on December 18, 2023, before being remanded to Mbarara government prison, the Chief Magistrate’s court, presided over by Andrew Kabombo, was informed that Kakanyisa, a resident of Rushanje village, Bugamba sub-county in Rwampara district, unlawfully killed Komuhangi with malice aforethought at their home in Rushanje village on March 8, 2023.
State attorney Oundo Gerald Oddini requested an adjournment, citing ongoing investigations into the matter. The lawyer representing the suspect, Angel Tushemereirwe of Tumwebaze Emmanuel Advocates and Solicitors, sought the protection of his client’s rights and anticipated that investigations would be concluded before the court’s committal to the High Court.
Grace Night, the deceased’s sister, revealed that Komuhangi was a victim of domestic violence, cohabiting with Kakanyisa, and left behind two children aged 9 and 5. Night expressed relief that Kakanyisa was re-arrested after allegedly evading justice for about 10 months.
Night explained that, upon learning of Kakanyisa’s release through a habeas corpus application at Mbarara Court, the family petitioned the office of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) in Mbarara and the Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Kampala. The intervention of these offices led to the reactivation of the case file and the subsequent re-arrest of the suspect.
