Hoima Central Police Station is currently holding a 39-year-old woman on charges of murder and aggravated robbery after being linked to the death of her biological brother.

According to police, the suspect, who is identified as Maureen Asiimwe, allegedly murdered and secretly buried his biological brother, identified as Brian Baganyira aka Junior, over land matters.

Police PRO for Albertine South, SP Allan Julius Hakiza, said Asiimwe was also charged with aggravated robbery over allegations that she sold her late brother’s motorcycle after his death.

The charges come after the exhumation of Baganyira’s body from a banana plantation on Wednesday in Mpaija Cell, Kasingo Ward, Hoima City West Division, after about two months of his being missing.

Earlier, police obtained a court order before exhuming the body for a postmortem examination.

SP Hakiza said Baganyira was reported missing on July 18 and that Asiimwe initially participated in efforts to search for him.

He said police investigations later focused on her after the arrest of another suspect, Herbert Tumwine, 27, who allegedly provided information that helped investigators locate the burial site.

“After arresting Herbert Tumwine as a suspect, he offered a lot of information about the suspected murderer, facilitating police investigations,” Hakiza said.

According to preliminary police findings, the alleged killing was linked to a dispute over ownership of land that Baganyira had bought using his own money.

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Esau Tagababyoona, the LC2 chairperson for Kasingo Ward, said the land was acquired in 2019 for about shs35 million, paid in instalments through Asiimwe.

He said Baganyira later encountered financial difficulties and that his sister allegedly cleared the remaining balance of about shs700,000 before registering the land in her own name.

The dispute reportedly escalated in July after Baganyira discovered that the land agreement had been registered in his sister’s name.

Tagababyoona said the two siblings had previously lived in Butema Cell, Buhanika Ward, in Hoima City East Division, before relocating.

He said local leaders were notified about the dispute and planned to mediate.

According to Tagababyoona, Asiimwe denied her brother’s claim to the land and maintained that it belonged to her.

He alleged that on July 15, Asiimwe contacted Baganyira, who was working in Kakumiro district, and asked him to return home to resolve the dispute.

Baganyira reportedly returned home and met his sister. Tagababyoona alleged that after the meeting, as Baganyira prepared to travel back to Kakumiro on his motorcycle, he was attacked.

He alleged that Asiimwe struck her brother several times on the head with a stick, killing him.

The local chairperson further alleged that Asiimwe and Tumwine, who worked as her caretaker, dug a pit in a banana plantation, buried the body and planted groundnuts over the area in an attempt to conceal the burial.

Baganyira’s relatives later reported his prolonged disappearance to police, prompting further investigations.

Tagababyoona said he was later informed by crime intelligence officers that a resident had been detained in connection with the disappearance.

He alleged that Asiimwe was subsequently released on bail as investigations continued.

On September 19, residents reportedly alerted Tagababyoona after detecting a strong smell from the suspect’s compound, prompting renewed concern about Baganyira’s whereabouts.

Tagababyoona said he questioned Asiimwe, who maintained that she had invited her brother home to discuss their land dispute but that he left after their meeting and she did not know where he had gone.

He said he returned on September 21 before reporting the matter to police.

Tumwine was also arrested and allegedly provided information that led investigators to the suspected burial site.

Police later visited the scene with the two suspects, who allegedly directed officers to the location where the body had been buried.

The area was cordoned off as police prepared for the exhumation.

Meanwhile, Julius Kyomuhendo, the Mayor of Hoima City West Division, condemned the killing and urged local leaders to strengthen monitoring of new residents and land transactions in their areas.

Tom Barongo, the LC1 chairperson for Mpaija Cell, called for an investigation into allegations that Asiimwe had previously been arrested and released after intervention by people claiming to be from State House.

The circumstances surrounding Baganyira’s death remain under police investigation, and the allegations against the suspects have yet to be tested in court.