The High Court in Masaka City has ordered that the bodies of prominent businessman Bosco Ssenyonjo and his two children be kept at the mortuary of Masaka Regional Referral Hospital until March 26, when a ruling on their burial arrangements will be delivered.
The decision follows a dispute between family members and one of the widows over where the deceased should be laid to rest.
Residents of Masaka were shocked over the weekend by the death of Ssenyonjo, popularly known as “Bitanda,” who died in a road accident along the Masaka–Entebbe highway together with his two children. At the time of the accident, he was reportedly driving one of his children to Entebbe International Airport to travel to Canada for studies.
The bodies were initially transported to their ancestral burial grounds in Kyalusowe, Masaka City.
However, Jane Nabukeera, the mother of the two children, objected to the arrangement, insisting that Ssenyonjo and the children should be buried at their home instead of the ancestral site.
Nabukeera subsequently petitioned the High Court seeking redress.
Her lawyer, Alexander Lure, accused the deceased’s relatives of acting unlawfully.
“The family members acted in a manner that disregarded the wishes of my client. They used force to take away the bodies and proceeded with burial arrangements without her knowledge or consent, which is both unfair and unlawful,” he said.
Although the hearing has not formally begun, the presiding judge, Victoria Nakintu, first listened to both sides.
Relatives of the deceased, including Nakayiza Maria, maintained their position.
“As a family, we believe our loved one should be laid to rest at the ancestral burial grounds, in accordance with our traditions and cultural expectations that have guided us for generations,” she said.
Justice Nakintu urged both parties to resolve the matter amicably.
“This is a sensitive family matter involving people who belong to the same home and share the same cultural values, and it would be in everyone’s best interest to reach a peaceful and mutual understanding without further conflict,” she said.
The matter was referred to Enock Kyegombe, a Grade One Magistrate, for mediation. After about two hours of discussions, a tentative agreement was reached that Ssenyonjo would be buried at the ancestral grounds, while the children would be buried at their mother’s preferred location.
However, the agreement collapsed at the signing stage when Nabukeera withdrew her consent.
As a result, Justice Nakintu ordered that all three bodies be returned and preserved at the hospital mortuary pending the court’s final ruling on March 26.
The case has drawn significant attention in Masaka, highlighting the complexities of family, cultural traditions, and legal rights in burial disputes.