By Bill Dan Arnold Borodi
Police are investigating the circumstances under which the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Director of Student Affairs, Ms. Pamela Tumwebaze, was killed during a suspected night-time intrusion at her home in Gwafu Village, Goma, Seeta Ward.
According to the police report, the suspect took a laptop bag and a mobile phone.
By 9:45am on February 11, when The Standard arrived at the scene, close to 40 security operatives, including the District Police Commander, police officers, and army personnel, had been deployed in and around the compound. A police sniffer dog was also brought to the scene but reportedly did not pick up any scent, as the suspect is believed to have left wearing some of the deceased’s clothes.
The compound is enclosed by a wall fence fitted with metallic spikes and electric wiring.
According to her house help, Sharifa Lwantale, who spoke to The Standard, the incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, between 2am and 3am.
Lwantale said after they had supper and retired for the night, Ms Tumwebaze had asked her to organise the children’s uniforms and polish their shoes for the following day. The children later spoke to their father on the phone, had supper and they all went to their respective rooms.
Between 2am and 3am, Lwantale said she heard movements inside the house. “Drawers and doors were being opened. The man entered my room and demanded the keys of the door, I gave him the keys,” she said.
According to Lwantale, the intruder was wearing Ms Tumwebaze’s clothes.
“I discovered it was not her and I asked who he was. He responded, ‘Your boss Madam Pamela knows me, go and ask her who I am.’” Lwantale said she spoke in Luganda while he spoke in English. She became frightened and hesitated to move further. When she attempted to peep into Ms Tumwebaze’s bedroom, she saw her covered with beddings. Concerned, she ran to the children’s room to ask whether they knew the intruder. At that point, the assailant left the house.
Shortly after, she entered the bedroom and found Ms Tumwebaze unresponsive. The children immediately called their father, who instructed them to contact their driver. Ms Tumwebaze was taken to Namirembe Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Lwantale, who hails from Kauga in Mukono District, said she had only worked at the home for one week prior to the incident.
By end of Wednesday, investigators were still trying to establish how the suspect gained access to the house since there were no signs of forced entry, including whether he entered before the gates were locked or remained inside undetected.
“What is disturbing is when the suspect entered inside the house, did he enter when the gate was opened, or he was locked inside the deceased room?” a detective was heard asking.
A neighbour, who identified herself only as Joy, described the neighbourhood as generally secure and said no similar incidents had occurred recently. She, however, recalled a past case in which a boda boda rider was killed and his motorcycle stolen in the area several years ago.
Joy, who was visibly shaken, said that her children attended Light of Life International Christian School with Ms. Tumwebaze’s children.
“She used to drive my children to school every morning,” she said tearfully.
Ms Tumwebaze is said to have shifted to the residence during the COVID-19 period.
Investigations into the killing are ongoing.
