Museveni’s nephew murder: Lawyers, cousins released

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Five suspects picked up in connection to the murder of President Yoweri Museveni’s nephew, Joshua Nteireho Rushegera have been released by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence–CMI in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate–CID.

They are Deus Kamugisha and Yafessi Mwijusa, both lawyers from Mbarara district. The others are Peter Ayebazibwe, Dr. Sengaire and Martin Rushegera, all cousins to the deceased. The five were picked by a joint security team from Mbarara and Bushenyi districts last week after it emerged that they had transacted business with Rushegera two days before he met his death.

Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, says the suspects were released after recording statements, which are being scrutinized by investigators to assess their relevancy to the crime. Rushegera was shot dead alongside her female friend Mellina Tumukunde at Nambigirwa bridge Entebbe Expressway at around 10:30pm on September 5, 2019.

A joint security team comprising CMI, Flying Squad Unit- FSU and CID arrested three police constable attached to Counter Terrorism and Tourism including Davis Taremwa, Mugote and Atwijukye. The three constables had been cited to have been near the deceased on the fateful day.

Police also recovered Taremwa’s gun from the crime scene and have since charged him with murder. Although Enanga didn’t divulge much into the reasons why the five suspects from Mbarara and Bushenyi districts had been picked up and later released, sources said they were involved in some business deals with the late Rushegera.

Investigators suspects that the land wrangles Rushegera had with his cousins, money lending business and gold transactions could have led to his assassination.

So far 10 people have been arrested, interrogated and released in connection to Rushegera’s murder.

Only Taremwa is still locked up. Investigators have since established that prior to his death, Rushegera had booked two rooms at Innophine hotel in Entebbe.

He picked Taremwa at Hidden Treasure hotel and left for Millennium hotel at Zzana where he met Robert Suubi, who was going to sell him a Toyota Harrier vehicle at Shillings 25 million.

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