Shs 10m ransom demand ends in death of two-year-old girl in Gayaza

What the report says

Police in Kasangati have arrested two suspects in connection with the killing of a two-year-old girl whose body was later found in a maize plantation in Kyetume, Gayaza. According to The Observer, the child, Dartiva Rosaries Kyomuhando, went missing on October 27 after she had been playing with neighboring children, and her mother, Lillian Atukwatse, reported the disappearance to police.

The newspaper reported that a ransom note demanding Shs 10 million was found at the family gate the next morning, leading the family and investigators to believe the child may have been abducted. One suspect, Joshua Muhumuza, a pedicurist, allegedly confessed and guided police to the location where the body was recovered. He also reportedly named Florence Amusuguti as an accomplice, and she was later arrested.

Police also recovered a mobile phone from Muhumuza, and investigators allegedly linked a phone line on the device to the ransom demand. The report said Muhumuza knew the family and had previously worked for the child’s mother, with his home separated from theirs by a perimeter wall. The child’s body was taken to Mulago City Mortuary for a post-mortem examination, while police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and death. The case highlights continuing concerns about child safety and violent crime in residential communities.