The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The family of 75-year-old Muhongya Costa in Kasese district is crying out for justice. Muhongya was allegedly kidnapped by unidentified men driving a minibus alias drone, and later discovered that he had died and was buried in Kampala.
According to the family, the unidentified operatives picked up Muhongya from Katholu trading centre, Nyakiyumbu sub county on January 5, 2023, where he was with his friends. The operatives drove him to Bwera police station and later took him to an unknown destination. Muhongya had shifted to Katholthu for casual labour and cotton farming.
His relatives in Buhuna say that they were alerted by residents of Katholu about the incident and subsequently rode to Bwera where police confirmed that Muhongya was picked up on matters the local police could not reveal. The family started mobilizing resources and started the search for their relative.
An old woman who preferred her name not to be published and was leaving near Muhongya explained that armed men in plain clothes raided the area where he was sitting with some youth at around 9:00 am and grabbed him into the waiting vehicle before it sped off.
After about 20 minutes, they returned with Muhongya chained and covered with a hat. They made a few minute searches in his dilapidated mud and wattle room before they stormed out. This source adds that a few residents who tried to ask the armed men about the reasons behind the arrest received hot slaps from the operatives.
Ezra Tindyebwa, Muhongya’s son told URN in an interview that following the arrest, they spent days and nights making unsuccessful searches until Friday last week when they were advised by a friend to check at the city mortuary.
He says that the mortuary attendants showed him pictures of unclaimed bodies they had recently buried and he was shocked to find his father among those buried on January 19, 2023, in the city cemetery.
Ezra describes his father as a peaceful man who was only known for farming with no track record of crime. He wants the government to investigate the persons who picked his father and the circumstances under which he died and was buried quietly.
Geoffrey Sibendire and Fedris Muhindo, both siblings to Mugongya say the family is frustrated because they are not getting any explanation from security agencies why their brother was arrested and ended up dying. They note that the family has spent over Shillings 6 million in the search process and yet still has to bear the cost of caring for mourners until the body is exhumed and re-buried.
Sunday Peter Kakule, the LC3 chairperson of Nyakiyumbu sub county says that upon learning about the alleged arrest, he approached Bwera division police to find out the whereabouts of the suspect but he was informed that he had been taken to an unknown destination by sister security agencies. Since then, they have been coordinating with the family not until they were informed last week that he had died and been buried.
The Bukonzo County West Member of Parliament, Godfrey Katusabe Atkins, says that he has already presented the matter to the speaker of parliament and wants the government to explain to the family and the community in Kasese how Muhongya died.
Police in the district remain tight-lipped on the incident.
*****
URN
