Police investigations have indicated that the Masindi district health officer, Dr.Jino Abiriga who was brutally murdered by unknown assailants was killed on orders of her wife who accused him of among others, getting a new mistress.
Dr.Abiriga, 58 was earlier this month murdered and the body dumped near his neighbours’ home in an incident that has shocked residents in Masindi.
His wife, Cherotic Betty was arrested after blood stains was found under their marital bed.
According to police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, two other suspects including Martin Kipsanga , a carpenter and Joshau Namureng, a builder were arrested from Bukwo where they returned after the murder.
The plot
Enanga said that Dr.Abiriga had lived with the wife since 2019 and were blessed with a nine month after losing their first born and a miscarriage of twins.
“ It was established that the plot to murder the deceased, began after Cherotic Betty learnt about a second relationship, her husband had with Atuhura Suzan in Masindi,” Enanga said.
Investigations indicate that at this time she hatched a plot of setting the house of Abiriga’s mistress on fire but the fire was put out by neighbours.
Meanwhile, on December, 11, she hired Kipsang at a cost of shs2.5 million to help her killed the co-wife and on December, 18, 2023, Kipsang travelled to Masindi after receiving a deposit of shs500,000 for the plot to kill Suzan Atuhura.
“ The murder plot failed after the intended victim, failed to appear at the location, that they expected her to be,” Enanga said.
Meanwhile, after two failed attempts to kill the husband’s mistress, Dr.Abiriga’s wife turned the fire onto him and hatched a plan to have him eliminated.
“She shifted and plotted to murder her husband, whom he accused for the death of their first born, the miscarriage of their twins, and for constantly insulting her as a bad performer, sexually.”
Investigations have revealed that Cherotic then tasked Kipsang to find a second person to help her murder her husband and on boxing day, he together with Namureng Joshua came to accomplish their mission.
However, the mission failed after Dr.Abiriga woke up and closed the door which had been left open by the wife as a way of easing the work of the hitmen.
Another attempt
After the failure of the first mission, the two killers returned to Bukwo and returned on January, 6, 2024 after much pressure from Chesang, for them to execute their mission.
The duo travelled from Bukwo and reached Masindi around midday and booked at Valentine Guest House.
“She alerted them when her husband was deep asleep. The suspect went armed with two huge sticks and a knife. They found when Cherotich had opened the gate, and she led them to the bedroom, where her husband was sleeping. They hit the victim with a stick on the head, and dragged the body to the floor, where they slit his throat with a knife, killing him instantly,” Enanga said.
He noted that the three later cleared the dead body, dressed it in a red T-shirt and blue trouser, carried it on a ladder and dumped it 50 metres away.
Meanwhile, the slain Masindi district health officer’s wife went to Valentine Guest House, where they dumped the blood-stained clothes in pit latrine and left Masindi Municipality at 5:30am.
Arrest
The police in Masindi and the Flying Squad after arrested Cherotich interrogated her, leading to the arrest of the two other suspects who were tracked in Bukwo.
“ Several tangible exhibits were recovered, which include; two hoe handle were recovered from Bulyasojo cell, shoes of the deceased, black sports bag, clothes of the suspect, a bag retrieved from the latrine with a pillow cover, mopping rug, work ID for the deceased, and other blood stained clothes. All samples were submitted to the Forensic Directorate for further analysis.”
Enanga said the suspects will soon appear in court over the murder.
