Matthew Kirabo, the main suspect in the murder of former Makerere university student Desire Mirembe has been sent back to prison on remand.
Last month, a shocking discovery was made when the lifeless body of the hitherto missing Makerere University student was discovered in a sugarcane plantation near Jinja district after days of a tensive search for the twenty year old.
Vehicle tyre skidmarks were reportedly found at the scene implying that the deceased had been killed from elsewhere but her body transported and dropped in the plantations.
It emerged that Matthew, her alleged boyfriend, could be in possession of some information that would help with investigations into the case.
Consequently, he was locked up by police first at Center Police Station and later at Nalufenya police station in Jinja – where hardcore criminals are locked up and interrogated – to help with investigations.
Shortly after Matthew’s detention between the two police stations, news spread of an alleged confession from the suspect admitting to a number of murders, something that was spiritedly discounted by his relatives and friends who insisted that the said confession never happened but in any case, the torture he had undergone in police custody could make him confess to a crime he never committed.
Appearing before Jinja Grade one Magistrate Allan Gakyalo on Tuesday last week, Matthew looked downcast when his case came up for a second mention, after his first appearance in the same court almost a month back ended with him being remanded.
On the said Tuesday, late Desire’s family’s hope for a summary trial as they try to solve the puzzle of their child’s killing hit a snag after prosecution asked for a one month adjournment to enable them complete their investigations.
Subsequently, the presiding magistrate sent Matthew back to Kirinya prison until October 20th when his case comes up for further mention.
It is expected that by that time, the prosecution will have finalized with its investigations so that court is appraised of the exact chargesy Matthew will be facing, if any.
Under the law, Magistrates Courts have no powers to try capital offences which carry with them a maximum punishment of death on conviction. When charges are finally preferred against Matthew, his case will be transferred to the High Court for the trial proper to kick off.
Even before the trial officially commences, it appears that the suspect is headed for quite a long time in jail unless the prosecution concludes its investigations by and by. A saying goes that for both parties in a trial, “justice delayed is justice denied”.
