By Switina Namulawa
Mayuge: Fear and panic gripped residents of Namataale village, Buwaaya su-bcounty Mayuge district, when a suspected UPDF soldier shot dead four family members and critically injured five others.
The four died on the spot while the five were rushed to Iganga and Mulago hospitals in critical condition.
According to the LC one secretary for publicity Namataale village, Peter Kasadha, the incident happened at around 9pm on Saturday as the family members had gathered to have supper.
Residents who had gathered at the near by Namataale trading center took off into different directions after hearing several gunshots.
“Most of them ran away leaving their shops open thinking the area had been attacked by rebels,” Kasadha said
Kasadha said the house head, Isaac Buyinza Mudhasi, 40, who was also killed in the attack had a long standing family dispute that was to be settled before the Iganga high court early next week.
According to Kasadha, the suspect, a UPDF officer, had in the earlier ruling lost the case and sought redress in the high court at Iganga.
According to an eyewitness who preferred anonymity for fear of his life, the suspect, who was dressed in a mask, black overall coat and moving on a boda-boda, stormed the home at around 9:00pm, pulled out his gun that was hidden underneath the coat and showered the family members with bullets.
He later stepped on the heads of his victims before shooting at the lifeless bodies at close range.
The eyewitness said he overheard the killer saying in Lusoga “Leka tubone oba mujja kuboneka mukoti jemulikwesunga” meaning let’s see if you will appear in the court you are eagerly waiting for.
The dead have been identified as Isaac Buyinza Mudhasi (the family head), his daughters; Elesi Kafuko 15; Resty Kantono 13; and Nicholas Musasizi 16.
The injured have been identified as Jessica Tumujibwa, the wife of the deceased Buyinza, her sister Viola Kyakuwaire 30, Harriet Kyojira, Ham Kitibwa and another person only identified as Moreen.
The police spokesperson Busoga east, Diana Nandwaula, said police are hunting for the suspect believed to be a Uganda Peoples Defense Force soldier.
“We have deployed heavily in areas we suspect he could be hiding so that we apprehend him and charge him for the offense” she said
It is alleged that the suspect is a biological brother to the deceased Buyinza whom they have been having a family wrangle over a three- acre piece of land in Namataale village Buwaaya sub- county.
Spent bullets recovered at the scene of crime indicated that the suspect used an AK 47 rifle to commit the offense.
Nandawula urged family members to always resolve issues amicably instead of using violence.
A doctor at Iganga main hospital where two of the victims are currently admitted said they have been transferred to the hospital intensive care unit on oxygen to try to save their lives.
By press time the bodies of the four family members were still at Iganga main hospital mortuary awaiting to be taken away by relatives.
