Kabale policewoman shot dead by her civilian lover

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The suspect has been arrested by policemen neighboring the barracks where the victim was resident.
In Uganda, over 200 women and girls succumb to gender and sexual violence annually, according to data from the gender ministry.

Police in Kabale District are investigating circumstances under which a 23-year-old female police officer was allegedly shot dead by her civilian man friend.

According to police, PC Caroline Komuhangi who was attached to the Kabale Police Field force Unit was killed on Sunday morning at her barracks residence.

"It's alleged that on March 18, 2023 at around 6pm, the deceased signed for the gun and went for night duty. At around 6:30am on March 19, she reported back from duty and while she was resting, her man friend Denis Arinaitwe came in and the two picked a quarrel,” Kigezi region police spokesperson Elly Maate told Monitor.

“As Komuhangi tried to escape, the man friend picked her gun, thereby shooting her one bullet from the back and other two on the shoulder, killing her instantly, " Mr Maate said.

People gather at the crime scene where a policewoman was shot dead in a barracks behind the old Kabale police station on March 19, 2023. PHOTO/ROBERT MUHEREZA

On Sunday, policemen in the pair’s neighborhood arrested the civilian man friend and took him to Kabale Regional Referral Hospital (KRRH) under guard.

“This was because he was also injured as he attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself through the nose,” Maate revealed.

Mr Maate said that the exhibit of cartridges and blood stains on the rifle were recovered and a case of murder recorded at Kabale police station.

By midday, the body of the deceased had been retrieved from the scene and taken to KRRH mortuary for postmortem.

In Uganda, over 200 women and girls succumb to gender and sexual violence annually, according to data from the gender ministry.

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