Couple Held For Killing 9-year-old over UGX 300

Police in Lyantonde district have arrested a couple for killing and attempting to secretly bury their daughter.

 

The couple was arrested Tuesday evening.

 

The woman identified as Sikolastika Kyalisiima (30), a resident of Kooki Ward B, beat Juliet Nasozi (9) to death for losing 300 shillings meant to buy groundnuts.

 

After the girl’s death, Kyalisiima convinced her husband Godfrey Ssekandi that they should bury her secretly. One of their neighbours identified as Ssenyonjo saw them and tipped other residents.

 

Led by Maddie Mugerwa, residents stormed their home and found the couple fidgeting with the body.

 

Mugerwa explains that after serious questioning, the couple attempted to run away. They were pursued by the growing mob that caught up with them and started beating them.

 

In the confusion, Kyalisiima managed to escape and locked herself inside the house which residents wanted to set on fire but police arrived and dispersed them with teargas.

 

Police led by Keith Timothy Eyaku, the Lyantonde DPC had to battle the furious residents for nearly two hours as they attempted to transport the suspects and the coffin of the child to station.

 

Eyaku says that in police custody, Ssekandi admitted that the couple had decided to secretly bury Nasozi because they were afraid of their neighbours' reaction.

 

Ssekandi went on to reveal that Nasozi was Kyalisiima's stepdaughter. Ssekandi claimed that Nasozi's mother Nakakeeto abandoned her when she was one year old. Nasozi had since then been brought up by Kyalisiima.

 

Kyalisiima denied beating Nasozi to death. She said she only administered two strokes of the cane on Nasozi and she could have died as a result of something else.

 

Eyaku says the suspects will remain in police custody until investigations into their case are complete.