Two teenagers have been arrested and are facing murder charges for allegedly assaulting and killing their peer in Rukungiri District. The police confirmed the arrest.
The incident, as reported by Elly Maate, the spokesperson for Kigezi region police, occurred on a Friday afternoon at Rwenkuba Hill in Kagashe Cell, Bugangari Sub-county in Rukungiri District. The victim, identified as 18-year-old Derrick Niwahereza, was a resident of Bugorogoro Cell, Nyakagyeme Sub-county in the same district.
The suspects, a 16-year-old and a 14-year-old boy, were named by the police on Saturday. The police report suggests that on April 19, while at Rwenkuba Hill, the three teenagers who were grazing cattle decided to play a local kickboxing game. During the game, Niwahereza was kicked by the 16-year-old, causing him to fall in pain.
In response, Niwahereza picked up a stone and hit the 16-year-old on the chest. The 16-year-old retaliated by picking up a sharp grazing stick and hitting Niwahereza on the head, leading to his death. Both suspects then left the unconscious and bleeding Niwahereza and returned to their homes.
The incident was reported to the Internal Security Officer Mini Onzo by Amston Rukundo, a local farmer. The police visited the scene, found Niwahereza dead, and took his body to Rwakabengo Health Center III for a postmortem. The suspects were arrested to assist with the police investigation, and a case of murder by assault was recorded at Rukungiri police station.
Geoffrey Kyomukama, the Rukungiri District LCV chairman, and Posius Nemesius Agaba, the district Community Development Officer, attributed the increase in criminal cases involving teenage offenders to factors such as drug abuse, school dropout, redundancy, and parental failure to instill morals in children who spend a lot of time watching violent films and videos.
Agaba noted that while they register about 20 cases of domestic violence every week, they also record an average of 4 criminal cases involving juveniles. He mentioned that they have started a sensitization campaign on FM radios and community meetings to encourage parents to ensure their children stay in school and to warn them against drug abuse and reckless lifestyles.