Police arrest Kyotera woman who cut off lover’s genitals

Police in Kyotera District are holding a 23-year-old Harriet Ampayire who allegedly cut off her boyfriend’s genitals causing a continuous bleeding which led to his death.

Ampayire, an employee of Fort Bet, a betting company in Mutukula town has been on the run after allegedly committing the crime on Sunday night.

Reagan Karamagi, a driver of imported vehicles, was found bleeding profusely on Sunday night. Despite efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries.

Southern Region Police spokesperson Twaha Kasirye confirmed Ampayire's arrest and stated that she will face murder charges once investigations are complete.

"Since we have a porous border at Mutukula, criminals easily cross on either side of the border and the suspect took advantage of this to enter Tanzania. We are however lucky that we managed to apprehend her on Tuesday,” he said.

According to residents, the couple's relationship seemed promising, but beneath the surface, it was a tale of control, manipulation, and ultimately, murder.

“She [Ampayire] gruesomely ended the life of a man who had promised to love her. Now, as she sits in her cold, dark cell, she must confront the darkness within herself and the events that led her to become a killer,” Ms Juliet Asiimwe, a resident of Mutukula Town says.

Neighbours and acquaintances described Karamagi as a friendly and down-to-earth person, while Ampayire was seen as collaborative and friendly by her employer.

"It's absurd we lost Reagan. He could not pass without greeting us. The girlfriend has been visiting him and could stay for some days. I suspect she killed him after realising that his Ex-wife and mother to his children was soon coming back from abroad,” explains Mr Valentino Yiga, a neighbour to the deceased.

Mr Kato Ssenyonga, the landlord to the deceased, says his tenant had lived in his house for over a year and has been collaborative.

"If Police had responded promptly, we could have saved Reagan’s life by rushing him to the nearby hospital,” he said. 

Mutukula Town Council Chairperson, Mr David Mujaasi says being a porous border, Mutukula is becoming a den of criminals.

"We urge government to consider us as an essential part of the country because we hold international transactions and are in the target of hard core criminals who need maximum security,” he said. 

Mr Pius Asiimwe, the regional Manager of Fort Bet, says he was shocked when he received the sad news that one of their employees had killed her boyfriend.

"We recruited Harriet about six months ago, she has been a friendly person, mingling well with other employees. We had even thought of promoting her because she was giving promising results,” he said.

The incident has raised concerns about domestic violence and the need for sensitization campaigns in the community.

According to the Police Annual Crime Report 2023, murder cases resulting from aggravated domestic violence decreased from 301 in 2022 to 242 in 2023.

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