By Denis Turyahebwa
Police in Bukwo district, Eastern Uganda has arrested three men who were among nine people suspected of killing a Reverend mistaken to be a cattle rustler.
The deceased identified as Rev. Neto Augustine aged 43 years was killed on Monday in East Elgon Forest found in Bukwo district.
According to police, it’s alleged that four residents of Kapukorosoi village in Bukwo District have been sending their cattle to East Elgon Forest to freely graze without anybody attending to them.
However the cattle also included that of the deceased Reverend.
On the fateful day, it was reported to police that the deceased received information that there were some thieves trying to take away cattle from the forest.
“The Reverend and three of his colleagues decided to go to the forest to catch the rustlers, when they reached the forest they got the cattle rustlers and three of Rev. Augustine’s colleagues started chasing them while making alarm. The Reverend opted to drive the animals back home,” reads the police report
Police said that the alarm attracted nine local residents who came armed with machetes.
It was alleged that the locals then met Reverend Augustine driving the cattle back home and mistook him to be a cattle rustler. They started beating him and later cut off his head and hid it.
After the long unyielding chase, the three colleagues met the nine local men and explained to them before inquiring whether they had seen the Reverend.
The nine men expressed ignorance of the whereabouts of the Reverend.
Police said that when the village residents met at a trading center, the nine people realized that they had killed an innocent person and they disappeared immediately from the scene.
Police also revealed that locals accepted cooperation during investigations and so far three suspects have been arrested and confessed to the murder.
The suspects led Police to where they had hidden the head of the deceased and it was recovered.
The headless body was brought from across the country in Kitale Kenya where it was kept in the mortuary.
Suspects in custody have since been identified as Chelop Alfred, Chesur Andrew and Kiplungant Peter.
Police however said the hunt for the remaining six is still underway.
