Suspect in kidnap, murder of Makindye girl released

Kampala, Uganda  | THE INDEPENDENT |  Katwe Police division has released a suspect in the kidnap and murder of Dylan Kirabo, a 10-year-old girl from Makindye.

Kirabo had been reported missing on January 8, moments after she was sent to purchase spices from a nearby shop. Kirabo’s father, Hakim Sibukyu, said the minor was kidnapped by unknown thugs before reaching the shop which was about 20 metres from her grandmother’s home.

Two days later, her body was found in a building under construction, about 500 metres from her grandmother’s home in Sendagala zone, Luwafu-Makindye division.

One Mutyaba Banda was suspected of masterminding the kidnap. Residents pinned him for being violent to female children, while others stated that he had been seen around the Crime Scene on the day of Kirabo’s disappearance. He was arrested and detained in Katwe. 

But close to two months later, there is no evidence, linking Mutyaba to the crime, a basis on which the Police resolved to grant him bond. 

“He was released as our investigations continue. We don’t have any suspect in custody now in regard to that crime. Our investigators are still closely following leads to have suspects arrested,” Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire told Uganda Radio Network.

The deceased was a pupil of Kampala Junior School in Najjanankumbi. She lived with her grandmother in Makindye.

Her mother informed police that the kidnappers called her demanding for a ransom of Shillings 200,000 for her release. But to date, police have failed to trace for the contacts that were used to demand a ransom. 

Kirabo’s murder occurred three weeks after a five-year-old girl, Betty Nalwanga, was kidnapped and killed at Kawanda, along Bombo Road, in Wakiso District. Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said Nalwanga disappeared from her aunt’s home, Florence Nantale in Kagoma along Bombo road at around 10 pm.

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