In a corner of the expansive compound at Mirembe Desire’s former home seats the late’s disconsolate brother, curled up in a plastic chair. The world has become a tiny place for him. The pain of losing his only sibling involuntarily forces him to bury his face in his palms, as his dispirited friends sympathetically gather around him.
Overcome by the benumbing news of what happened to his 20-year old sister, he reportedly embarked on a drinking spree, trying to shield his heart from the unendurable pain. It didn’t work.
A few chairs away, Desire’s alleged boyfriend is in the pits. Tears flow freely from his eyes as he dolefully sniffs from time to time. Friends gather around him too, offering a few words of encouragement.
Pockets of mourners gather in small groups, as if trying to find a way of coming to terms with the tragedy that befell the first year student at Makerere University. City businessman Frank Gashumba and reknown Kalungu member of Parliament Joseph Ssewungu are in attendance. So is Makerere University’s Guild President, Bala David.
THE EVENTS SURROUNDING DESIRE’S MURDER
Well, a few friends Campusbee talked to, say Desire’s day started like any other. Apparently, she spent part of the ill-fated Friday 10th having fun at Garden City, a popular hang out spot among youths. Little did she know it would be the last fun she was having in her short life.
It is said that the late returned from Garden City to her place of residence, Ark Hostel in Katanga in the evening. She later received a call from her boyfriend who requested to meet her at Capital Shoppers but she allegedly told him that she was already on her way to Jinja.
Another friend who preferred anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter says the late left her hostel in the company of a mysterious man who left no evidence of his presence in the visitors’ register book. Attempts to get some more light from Ark Hostel on the identity of the mysterious visitor ended in threats of arrest by the gateman who at first denied knowing about the late’s murder. However, a relative of the deceased refutes the allegation, saying Desire went to Jinja alone.
Mark, a friend of the late’s from Mubs who Campusbee chanced upon at her wake says she had gone to Jinja to attend a religious fellowship but Tina Talemba, another relative to the deceased says she spoke to her on phone that Friday at 7:10pm but the late Mirembe did not mention anything about going to Jinja, Instead, poor Desire expressed enthusiasm about coming home over the weeked to celebrate her Auntie’s anniversary.
Nevertheless, some reports have it that the late sent S.O.S. messages deep in the night on Friday to her mother saying that she was stranded in Jinja and that she badly needed money. That is the last time anyone heard from her.
Whether she went to Jinja alone or otherwise is a question we may never answer,but what we understand is that her lifeless body was later on Monday around 3:30pm found in a plantation in Kawolo, bearing marks of a savage, indecent assault.
What is confusing is that Campusbee has learnt that both the deceased’s father and mother are abroad, but will be jetting into the country soon for burial with the father expected this morning. So, which mother did Desire text?
Tina says that a one Matthew reported himself to Police in connection with the murder. It is not clear whether he reported as a suspect or a concerned person who knew the late.
Some people have suggested that the late may have disguised her intentions under the cover of going for fellowship yet in fact she was going on a fun-filled tryst with the mysterious visitor but a couple of her friends including Mark testify to her religious nature and brush off the tryst allegations as ridiculous.
We may never know all the facts behind the late’s murder but all we can do is wait for time to reveal the perpetrator(s) behind this tragic incident with hope that justice will be served in the most strict of ways.. May poor Desire’s soul rest in peace. May God bless her killers.
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