The Insight Post-Uganda
Mukono
Mbeya Island, a small picturesque piece of land located in Lake Victoria, in Mukono district, is known for its natural beauty and serene surroundings. However, beneath its tranquil exterior lies a dark reality that is often overlooked.
The Island is home to more than 300 indigenous inhabitants. But senior army officers, various influential personalities and businessmen from within and outside are vying for control of the island.
Unfortunately, the influx of these individuals has led to an increase in criminal activities while locals remain hesitant to speak up due to the fear of risking their lives. The island has become a hub for illicit activities such as land grabbing and most alarmingly, murder.
The situation has deteriorated to the point where lawlessness seems to reign supreme, with those in power often turning a blind eye to the injustices taking place. As a result, Mbeya Island has become a place where criminal elements operate with impunity, and the rule of law appears to be non-existent.
According to the residents, they have become accustomed to living in fear, with many resigning themselves to a life of silence in order to avoid becoming a target of those masterminding or involved in criminal activities.
The individual, who wished to remain anonymous, shared that they had witnessed murders taking place on numerous occasions, but they had never reported it to the authorities.
“We do not want to put our family or ourselves in harm’s way. This fear has caused a ripple effect throughout the island, with many individuals remaining silent, even in the face of injustice,” says a concerned resident.
The most recent gruesome murder took place on March 22, 2023, when a thirty-two-year-old fisherman -Fred Ntambi of Nakitokota camp at Kizaala-Buganda village Katosi Town council. He was brutally attacked and tortured by unknown assailants leading to his death.
It is only his sister – Florence Namujju who has bravely come out to seek justice for his brother’s death.
Ntambi’s fate
On the morning of March 22, 2023, the father of four set out for his routine fishing activities on Lake Victoria, from Nakitokota landing site. He hoped to bring back a good catch to provide for his family but his day took a dark turn when he was ambushed by unknown people on the lake.
Ntambi was subjected to brutal torture, and his lifeless body was discarded in a nearby bush close to the landing site. It was just a few minutes to midnight when locals who heard the scuffle and alarm arrived.
Ntambi was discovered helpless and lying in a pool of blood after sustaining multiple life-threatening injuries. He was quickly rushed to St. Bernard Clinic in Katosi in critical condition.
The victim had sustained severe injuries including cuts on different parts of his body, and several nails had been punched into his left foot.
The devastating news of his attack reached his family while they anxiously waited for his return with the fish he had promised them. His sister, Namujju, rushed to the clinic to attend to him. Despite the best efforts of the medical staff, Ntambi’s health worsened, and he passed away the following day.
Following his death, Ntambi’s body was taken to Mulago City Mortuary for further examination. Dr. Male Mutumba conducted the postmortem and determined that Ntambi’s demise was a result of blunt force trauma.
Blunt force trauma refers to physical injuries caused by a powerful impact on the body, often associated with incidents like road accidents, assaults, direct blows, and sports injuries.
In his account, Davis Ssegirinya Ssebowa, the Kizaala-Buganda LCI Chairperson, says the tormentors also powered petrol in his ears a sign that they needed him dead.
Ssebowa further reveals that his office receives numerous reports of individuals being assaulted while fishing in the vicinity of Mbeya Island. However, he claims, they have reported these incidents to the police, but investigations have not yielded any significant progress.
He declined to divulge details fearing to be a target of the ‘untouchable’ criminals.
Quest for Justice
Ntambi’s grieving family immediately began their search for justice after his passing. Namujju, his sister, claimed that she obtained a deathbed confession from Ntambi before he passed away.
“He revealed the identities of his attackers saying he did not know their motive,” she told this website.
Yasin Kasirye and Jackson Sebito (known as ‘Big Pig’) and others who remain unidentified are among the suspects linked to the criminal gang. They are known to operate from and reside at Major Mark Wanyama’s farm on Mbeya Island
The shocking revelation prompted Namujju to report the matter to Katosi police station and a case (SD REF. 13/23/03/2023) was opened up for investigation. To be sure, Namujju adds, she also took the matter to Mukono police division, hoping the authorities would intervene, investigate and bring all the named perpetrators to book.
Despite the family’s efforts and repeated appeals to the authorities to take action, the mentioned suspects have remained at large and roamed freely on the island. “Neither have they have not been summoned to record a statement nor arrested. This leaves us (family) feeling hopeless,” she recounts.
“The family is appealing to the police to intervene and expedite the investigation and bring all those responsible for Ntambi’s death to justice.
According to Namujju, she is struggling to provide for the basic needs and school fees of the four orphaned children who are under her care.
Bribes and Threats
The suspects, she states, offered Ugx500, 000 to settle the matter through the Officer-In-Charge of Katosi police station, but she declined the offer. She states that such a small amount was insufficient to provide the necessary support for young children to grow into responsible adults.
“We (family members) have received threats from anonymous callers to stay silent about the matter, or else our lives will be in danger since I rejected their offer,” she adds.
Public Uproar
Due to the slow progress in the investigation and failure to apprehend the suspects, local residents joined the victim’s family to protest against the police’s alleged efforts to shield the perpetrators.
Sarah Nabagereka, the Kizaala-Buganda Secretary for Women Affairs, is calling on the Inspector General of Police to intervene and accelerate the investigation to uncover the motive and identify those responsible for the murder.
She attested that during the time Ntambi rented her properties, she had never known him to be involved in any criminal activities or shady deals. Instead, she knew him as an honest fisherman with a good reputation.
Despite our efforts to establish contact with the individuals accused, we have not been successful thus far. Furthermore, the phone number said to be their leader, Major Mark Wanyama, has been unresponsive.
When contacted, Mbeya Local Council (LCI) chairperson Eldad Bashaija and Vice Chairperson Abudul Ssempiira confirmed knowledge of the gruesome incident but declined to comment on it.
The island is grappling with various challenges such as land disputes, fishing space conflicts, and theft of fishing equipment.
Fish Traders
Mayinja Walugembe, a fish trader, disclosed that fishermen losing their lives on the lake are not reported and investigated.
He further explained that the security for communities around the lake and scattered islands is manned by police officers, who are often infiltrated by army deserters and other criminals seeking refuge.
He appealed to the police to thoroughly investigate and swiftly complete the report on Ntambi’s death, as they already have suspects in custody.
Police
Following the media reports on the matter, Patrick Onyango- the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson pledged to investigate as soon as the officers in charge at Mukono Division provide him with updates.
As of Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at least two suspects had been arrested and detained at Jinja Road Police Station in connection with Ntambi’s murder. Police are yet to reveal the identities of the suspects.
Land Scandals
There is a growing battle over seven acres of land situated at Mbeya Island near Katosi landing site between Major Mark Wanyama, a senior Army officer in Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and businessman Jackson Twinamatsiko.
A few months ago, a group of men went to the contested land and severely attacked, assaulted, and stabbed Twinamatsiko’s workers and destroyed various tree species which had been planted on the contested land.
The attackers also set fire to various properties belonging to Twinamatsiko, including temporary shelters that had been erected on the land but the police are scared to intervene.
Annual Crime Report
According to the recent police annual report released in February of this year, Mukono District’s two divisions of Mukono and Naggalama were ranked sixth among districts with the highest number of crimes.
In 2022, it registered 2761 cases, up from 2356 cases registered in 2021. Common crimes registered include theft, assault, and domestic violence, obtaining money through false pretences, threatening violence, defilement, and criminal trespass.
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