Hoima- A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison, after he was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend.
Peter Rujumba was convicted on Thursday during a special High Court session at Hoima presided over by Justice Simon Byabakama.
Prosecution told court that Rujumba killed Barbra Akello on January 29.
The deceased, 25, was a data officer at the Infectious Diseases Institute, Hoima office.
Court concurred with the prosecution that Rujumba
attacked the deceased at her residence in Lusaka upper Cell, Hoima Town,
hacked her to death, buried some of her remains in a banana plantation
and threw the rest in a toilet.
Police recovered dismembered body parts after more than a week.
After the incident, Rujumba reportedly fled from Hoima to Kampala.
He was trailed and arrested by police detectives
after he confessed before a congregation at a Pentecostal church that he
killed his girlfriend.
During his trial that has lasted about three weeks, Rujumba gave contradictory statements in his defence.
During his trial that has lasted about three weeks, Rujumba gave contradictory statements in his defence.
He initially pleaded guilty and asked for forgives
but as prosecution was winding up submission of its evidence, he
claimed having killed the deceased while drunk.
He later denied the murder charges that the State
preferred against him, claiming that he was tortured by police in order
to confess to the charges.
Rujumba later accepted having killed the deceased
but claimed it was out of anger after he suspected that the deceased had
infected him with HIV.
His lawyer Aaron Baryabanza told court that his client was terrified after Akello told him her former boyfriend died of Aids.
His lawyer Aaron Baryabanza told court that his client was terrified after Akello told him her former boyfriend died of Aids.
He asked court for a lenient sentence against his client because he is a first time offender who regrets his actions.
In a ruling passed before a fully packed courtroom, Justice Byabakama described the murder as gruesome and diabolic.
He said it is difficult to understand the motive
in not only killing but also in chopping and systematic disposal of the
body parts of the deceased.
“It is unserious for a young man at such an age to
kill a young and promising girl. You are a danger to yourself and to
society. You are sentenced to spend the rest of your life behind bars,”
Justice Byabakama ruled as several people clapped in court.
He said the judgment should send a clear signal to the youth to spend their time usefully instead of indulging in criminal and harmful activities.
He said the judgment should send a clear signal to the youth to spend their time usefully instead of indulging in criminal and harmful activities.
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