Africa-Press – Uganda. A 12-year-old Primary Three pupil has fled their home in Miraa Village, Masafu Sub-county, Busia District, after allegedly beating his 19-year-old brother to death following a disagreement over a home-made ball.
The suspect, who is a juvenile, is said to have fatally punched Umar Nsubuga who collapsed and died instantly, Ms Kevinah Apoya, the boys’ grandmother said on Tuesday.
“The suspect kicked the ball which hit the deceased on the face, and in the process, the deceased picked the ball and shredded it, leading to a quarrel and fist fight,” Ms Apoya said, adding that efforts to stop the two from fighting were futile.
Ms Apoya said she was only called to the scene and told that Nsubuga had dropped dead.
The suspect is a Primary Three pupil at Buwanda Primary School, while the deceased has been a Primary Seven pupil at Budibya Primary School.
Mr Fred Nangeso, one of the family members, said when they received information, they tried to take the victim to Masafu hospital but it was too late.
Mr Ismael Mangeni, a resident, said the incident had sent shockwaves throughout the area, adding that this was the first time such an incident was happening.
“We have been hearing about some of these killings elsewhere, and I am surprised that a brother has killed his sibling [here] over an old ball,” he said.
Mr Mangeni blamed the increased crime wave among juveniles on the continued closure of schools (over Covid-19), saying many children were wasting in the villages.
“If schools were open, such children would not have been here fighting; but because they are at home doing nothing, many of them have resorted to crime like what we have seen today,” he said.
Mr Patrick Taabu, the Miraa Village LC1 chairperson, said he was away when he received news that a 12-year-old boy had punched his elder brother to death before fleeing.
Mr Robert Efumbi, the boys’ father, said he left for Masafu town centre, where he works as a technician, but was called at around 10am and notified that his younger son had beaten his elder brother to death.
Mr Efumbi, however, added that the deceased was “sickly” and that the running about and fighting could have caused him breathing problems that led to his death.
Police detectives from the Busia Police Station visited the scene and took the body to Masafu hospital mortuary for a postmortem as they investigate the bizarre crime.
Mr Moses Mugwe, the Bukedi region police publicist, confirmed the incident, saying a manhunt for the suspect is underway.
“Once he’s arrested, he will be taken to a juvenile court to answer charges preferred against him,” he said.
