Police in Kisoro District in Kigezi Sub-region have detained a woman and her son on allegations of killing her 52-year-old husband in a domestic fight after he reportedly sold part of the family land without their consent.
Francis Hitimana, a resident of Rukoro Village, Muhindura Parish, Kanaba Sub-County in Kisoro District, is said to have been attacked by members of his family on October 4, 2025 following a disagreement over a land transaction.
‘It is alleged that the deceased was attacked by his wife, son, and two daughters, who beat him and cut him on the head, leading to his instant death,’ Kigezi regional police spokesperson, ASP Elly Maate, said.
The family’s rage reportedly stemmed from Hitimana’s sale of a piece of land three days earlier without their consent.
‘They refused to sign the land sale agreement, and this disagreement escalated into a fatal assault,’ Mr Maate added following the 10 am attack.
In a chilling attempt to conceal their crime, the suspects allegedly moved Hitimana’s body from their home to a nearby road toward Gasheregenyi before returning it to the sitting room, where they placed it on a mat.
A vigilant neighbour who noticed bloodstains around the home alerted the village chairperson, who in turn reported to the police, leading to the arrest of the suspects.
‘I saw what looked like blood all over their compound, and I knew something was terribly wrong,’ said the neighbour, who requested not to be named in this story.
Police visited the crime scene, recorded witness statements, and recovered suspected murder weapons, including a panga, hoe, and axe.
‘We have exhibited the weapons and conveyed the body to Kisoro Hospital mortuary for postmortem as inquiries continue,’ Mr Maate confirmed.
The gruesome killing and arrests have sent shockwaves through the Rukoro community.
‘This is a quiet village; we never expected such a tragedy from a family dispute,’ said one of the residents, Mr John Nteziryayo.
Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward as they work to uncover the full details of the brutal killing.
Fatal land disputes are common in Uganda, partly due to poverty, greed or ignorance, among others.
According to the latest annual crime report, at least 397 cases of land-related crimes were reported to the Police in 2024, compared to 271 cases reported in 2023, presenting a 46.5 per cent increase in the crimes reported in this category.
By the end of 2024, a total of 1,016 cases of Murder by Mob Action were reported to the Police compared to 1,039 cases reported in 2023, giving a decrease of 2.2% in this crime category. Victims of mob action were mainly suspected to have committed the following offences: Theft, Robbery, Murder, Witchcraft, and Burglary, thereby making suspects take the law into their own hands.