Police in Lwengo District have arrested a 45-year-old primary teacher after recovering bodies of his wife and son in a pit -latrine.
Detectives are investigating why the suspect, a teacher at Kaboyo Church of Uganda Primary School and resident of Mbirizi Industrial area Zone in Lwengo town council killed his wife Rose Katushabe and their two -year-old son.
Neighbors learnt about the murder on Tuesday following a strong stench that was emanating from the suspect’s pit –latrine.
They reported to police which retrieved the decomposing bodies from the latrine.
“We also managed to recover the machete which was reportedly used to kill the victims,” Lwengo District Police Commander, Mr Peter Akampulira said.
One of the suspect’s neighbours, Ms Annet Nakamya, said Ms Katushabe and her child were last seen last week.
Preliminary police investigations indicate that the couple has been having domestic misunderstandings over unknown reasons and at some point Ms Katushabe attempted to separate with the suspect.
Ms Doreen Ankunda, the Lwengo District Education Officer, said she tried to intervene in the family wrangles but was not successful.
She has, however, asked the authorities to subject the suspect to a mental checkup on grounds that his behaviors indicate that he could be battling a mental illness.
“We suspect he could be having a mental illness. Let him first be checked before he is charged,” she said.
Residents have condemned the incident saying that they at one time tried to mobilize funds to give to the suspect after his wife reportedly asked for Shs500,000 to separate with him but they only raised Shs200,000 which Katushabe rejected.
Southern Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Muhammad Nsubuga said they are planning to take the suspect for a mental checkup before arraigning him in court.