Father of killed 10 year old girl losing hope for justice

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Hakim Sibukyu, the father of a girl who was allegedly raped and strangled to death in January says he is slowly losing hope for justice.

Kirabo aged 10 went missing on January 9th and two days later, her body was found dumped in a flat building under construction in Makindye Luwafu zone. She went missing at around midday when she was sent to a shop to buy food spices.

Sibukyu says that his efforts to seek justice have been frustrated. He adds that he has tried to work with investigating officers to track the contacts of people who called demanding for ransom before his daughter’s body was discovered.

“I have tried to work with investigators to track these people who called demanding money when my girl was missing. Unfortunately, police tell me they are in Mutukula and they say the phones keep changing location. It is costly and I am not sure whether the people who killed my daughter will ever be arrested,” Sibukyu said.

Kirabo was a primary six pupil at Kampala Junior School in Najjanankumbi. She had gone to spend the holiday with her mother in Makindye Luwafu. Her body was found in an incomplete building about 500 metres from her grandmother’s home.

Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson said Kirabo’s mother informed police that the kidnappers called demanding for a ransom of Shillings 200,000 for her release.

Police investigators from Katwe police station arrested one suspect identified as Mutyaba Banda who locals said was infamous for raping and assaulting young girls. Owoyesigyire said there was evidence linking Mutyaba to previous crimes of similar nature but for this case, evidence was yet to be gathered.

Sibukyu said he was informed about Mutyaba’s arrest but he is unaware of events that followed afterwards. Sibukyu says he was told Mutyaba was released on bond but later got information that he was arraigned in court and remanded.

“I went to court when they told me he was going to appear in Buganda Road Court but he was not brought in physically neither on zoom. I am not sure whether he was taken to court and remanded or he was released by police,” Sibukyu said.

Police had earlier promised to use Closed Circuit Television –CCTV cameras from a nearby building to hunt for two people, a male and a female who were allegedly seen around the building hours before Kirabo’s body was recovered.

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