Man chops off brother's head in land dispute, hands self to police

Police in Budaka is holding a man for killing his brother by chopping off his head using a panga following a dispute over land.

The suspect, who later on handed himself to police, is identified as Sam Manti, a resident of Kabyonga village in Kakoli subcounty in the eastern Budaka district.

It is said that the two have been embroiled in land wrangles which ended up in court.

Moses Bavekuno, the acting Budaka district CIID, confirmed this incident which he says occurred on Monday afternoon.

Bavekuno says the deceased Muhammad Gajji (aged 68) was attacked while gardening with a family member.

Manti, in the company of others still at large, stormed the maize garden in which Gajji was working armed with sticks and panga. The standoff devolved into a fight during which Manti chopped off Gajji's head.

Police was immediately notified but Manti brought himself to the station with the panga used in the incident dripping with blood.

Bavekuno says the deceased's head was found some metres away from his body after a long search.

He said the autopsy was carried and the body was later last evening handed to the relatives for burial.

He says, ‘’As police, we strongly condemn the act  and after investigation and apprehending of suspects who are still at large, they will be arraigned before court to face charges of murder under case file CRB 019/2020."

He says six cases of land disputes have already been registered in the area due to land shortage and an increase in population since last week. These disputes tend to rise at the beginning of the rainy season.

He said due to population pressure, cases of land disputes are on the increase in the district especially during the rainy season adding that 6 cases have so far been registered since the start of early rains last week.

Police is committed to sensitizing communities to avoid taking the law into their own hands but rather seek legal redress.