Bukoba — POLICE in Kagera Region are investigating the brutal deaths of a couple in Muleba District on Tuesday afternoon. Reports from Muleba say the incident happened at Kikuku village in Kagoma Ward.

According to an eyewitness, Jacob Zelamula (54), the murdered couple was identified as Ms Bilivu Festo, aged between 35 and 40 and her husband was identified as Festo Mpanda (69). It was not immediately established what prompted the killing. Neighbours of the deceased, however, said Mpanda chased away their five children and locked the door to the house before the incident occurred.

A few minutes later neighbours could hear Ms Bilivu screaming for help. They rushed to the scene only to find the beheaded woman lying in a pool of blood while Mpanda was nowhere to be seen. The shocked neighbours informed the Village Chairman, Ernest Mashasi, who organized a hunt for the fugitive.

The body of Mpanda was found yesterday hanging from a tree near their house. Kagera Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr Philip Kalangi, confirmed that he has received reports of the deaths, adding that detectives from his office were on their way to Muleba District to get details and promised to give a statement later.

This was a second incident to happen in Muleba District within a spell of two days. Police in the district gunned down three suspected bandits after foiling a robbery attempt at a gas station in Muleba town on Monday night and recovered an assortment of guns and a hand grenade.