Construction workers arrested for illegally exhuming body in Masindi Town
The act was done without any legal authorization or prior notification to the deceased's relatives.
Masindi: Police have arrested ten construction workers for allegedly exhuming a dead body without authorization in Katama Cell, Masindi Central Division, Masindi District.
The suspects, whose identities had not yet been confirmed by press time, were apprehended on Monday morning at a construction site by officers from Masindi Police Station.
The workers are accused of exhuming the remains of a woman only identified as Diana, who died and was buried on the property in 2021.
According to Francis Biryetega, the LC1 Chairperson of Katama, the deceased was buried on her family’s land, which was being overseen by her elder sister Sharon Timbigamba.
Timbigamba later married a pastor based in Kampala and has reportedly been absent from the area for several years.
Biryetega explained that the construction workers believed to be building a structure for the pastor dug up Diana’s remains on Sunday evening, wrapped them in a sack, and reburied them a few meters away from the original grave. The act was done without any legal authorization or prior notification to the deceased’s relatives.
The illegal exhumation sparked outrage among family members and local residents, who alerted the LC1 chairperson. Biryetega promptly informed the police, leading to the arrest of the workers and their detention at Masindi Police Station.
Police later directed the family to prepare a new grave and rebury Diana’s remains, an exercise that was underway at the time of reporting.
Joan Mary Nyangoma, a family member, revealed that she previously served as the family caretaker until the pastor took control of the property, even going as far as retrieving the house keys from her.
Neighbor John Mark Muhimbo strongly condemned the exhumation, stating it was not only illegal but also a serious violation of Banyoro cultural norms.
Efforts to get a comment from police authorities were unsuccessful by press time.
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