Police in Kanungu District are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of 30-year-old Joshua Turyasingura, a resident of Rwenyerere cell in Bihomborwa Ward, Kihihi Town Council.
Elly Maate, the Kigezi Regional Police Spokesman ASP, confirmed that the deceased was beaten to death on Friday evening at Rutendere Central village in Kayonza Subcounty in Kanungu District.
The investigation stems from an earlier incident on January 4th, 2024, where Turyasingura allegedly defiled and murdered a 13-year-old girl from Rukarara Village in Kihembe Subcounty, Kanungu District. This case had been reported at Kihihi Police Station under reference number CRB.15/2024.
According to reports, Turyasingura assaulted the victim with a log, resulting in her immediate death. He then concealed the body in a banana plantation before fleeing to his father’s home at Bwaswa cell in Buhoma Town Council. An angry mob, acting on a tip, apprehended him and lynched him.
Despite police being alerted and rushing to the scene, they arrived too late to rescue Turyasingura. Residents claimed that he was a habitual criminal who had been terrorizing them. Police retrieved Turyasingura’s body and transported it to Kihihi Health Centre IV Mortuary for a postmortem examination.
Earlier, the mother of the victim, Nabaasa Milika, reported to the police that her 13-year-old daughter, Kakuru Constance, had been defiled and murdered. The body was found in Ntabarwe hill in Rukarara village. Kakuru, a pupil at Kashesha Primary School, had gone with her twin sister, Kato Vastina, to pick up their pig when they encountered Turyasingura.
Turyasingura allegedly lured Kakuru away, asking her to buy him Waragi. When Kakuru failed to return home, her body was discovered the next morning in the banana plantations by Yaredi and later identified by her grandfather, Ndyomugyenyi John.
Upon police investigation, the body was found lying face-up, with the skirt raised to the thighs and the blouse pulled to the chest. Signs of sexual assault, strangulation, and bleeding from the nose were evident.
The body was then taken to Kihihi Health Centre Mortuary for postmortem examination before being handed over to relatives for burial.
