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Shamba boys ‘killed boss over Shs900,000 arrears’
Police say David Tenywa Kazungu was murdered. PHOTO/COURTESY/FILE
What you need to know:
- The duo allegedly killed the Bugiri schools inspector.
Police in Bugiri say two suspects have confessed to the kidnap and murder of District Inspector of Schools, David Tenywa Kazungu.
Mr Tenywa’s body was found in a pit latrine on May 30, two days after he went missing from his farm in Nanderema Village, Bugiri District. The deceased was a brother of Dr Waiswa Kazungu of Mulago hospital and Makerere University; and Ms Justine Kazungu of State House.
Following the murder, detectives raided Bukoyo Village, Bulamagi Subcounty in Iganga District, and interrogated a sister to two shamba boys who were working on the deceased’s farm. Ms Diana Nandaula, the Busoga East Police spokesperson, yesterday said detectives have made a breakthrough in their investigations after two suspects on Wednesday confessed to their involvement in the crime.
“Two suspects, both shamba boys, said they have something to do with the murder; they said the deceased owed them Shs900,000 for work done on his farm, which was taking long to be paid,” Ms Nandaula said.
The duo are currently detained at Bugiri Police Station and their fi le has been submitted to the Resident State Attorney for perusal and legal advice.
Police and family accounts suggest that the deceased was last seen on the morning of May 27 driving towards his farm in Nanderema Village. His daughter fi led a missing person’s report at Bugiri Central Police Station two days later.
A source close to the family said when the deceased disappeared, they thought he had gone for a seminar and tried tracing him until Sunday, May 28 when they started receiving phone calls from suspected kidnappers.
The alleged kidnappers initially asked for a Shs50m ransom, before reducing it to Shs20m and Shs5m by Monday evening. It was after the family didn’t yield to the kidnappers’ demands that they directed them to a pit latrine where they found Tenywa’s body with his legs bound with ropes.
Monitor learnt that the suspects made several phone calls to Ms Sheila Kazungu, the daughter of the deceased.
Mr Sam Katambala, 43, the deceased’s brother who was regularly with Ms Kazungu and occasionally eavesdropped on the conversation his niece had with the kidnappers, earlier said the family “positively matched” the ransom-seeking calls to two shamba boys.
“They are people we have lived with. So, there is no way we could fail to identify them from their voices,” he said.
“At one moment, she [Ms Kazungu] told the kidnappers that the MTN network was down and they provided an Airtel line which is not registered to either of them. They initially sent an SMS [Short Message Service] , but later resorted to calling and kept asking for money.”
Teachers pay their last respect to the murdered Bugiri District Inspector of Schools David Tenywa Kazungu, who was laid to rest at Matovu Village, Nankoma Sub-county, Bugiri District on May 31, 2023. PHOTO/COURTESY
The deceased was laid to rest on May 31 at Matovu Village, Nankoma Subcounty in Bugiri District. During the burial, mourners heard from Mr Juma Nyende, the former Bugiri District chief administrative officer (CAO), that they had hoped that Kazungu would replace the district education officer, Mr Henry Kabulo, who is about to retire.
“Mr Kabulo is about to retire, and because of his work, we had been preparing the late Kazungu for that position. It is of no use to clamour for a job which isn’t yours,” Mr Nyende said. He added: “If these goons were hired, we shall not leave any stone unturned.
My religion (Islam) says Allah is the creator and the one who takes; why do you think you are intelligent enough to help Allah by taking Kazungu?” Mr Nyende described the deceased, who started working at the district in 1997, as “bright and hardworking’’.
Mr Kabulo urged Hajj Badru Sebyala, the Bugiri RDC, to ensure the perpetrators are brought to book.
Bugiri RDC Hajji Badru Sebyala addresses mourners during the burial ceremony for the inspector of schools, David Tenywa Kazungu, at Matovu Village in Bugiri on May 31. PHOTO/PHILIP WAFULA
Mr Kabulo said Mr Kazungu’s killers should have shown him some dignity in death, saying when Police retrieved his body from the pit-latrine, bystanders fl ed the scene due to the horrible stench it emitted.
“I urge those investigating the matter to also charge the perpetrators with abuse of the rights of the dead,” he said, saying Kazungu didn’t deserve the way he died. Police sources, however, say the suspects will be charged with abduction, and murder, among a raft of charges.
