As the country continues to ask several questions in relation to the death of a young lady, Susan Magara, hundreds of mourners have gathered at Our Lady of Africa church in Mbuya to mourn her passing.
Magara has been described as a caring to friends, and family. “Our sister Susan was so caring, she was the most patient of all of us, so accommodating. Every moment with Susan was filled with laughter” her little sister said.
Her elder sister Cindy, in a speech read by her husband said Susan’s killers would be haunted for the rest of their lives. “Susan’s smile was a signature to all of us. She went about her life with ease and calmness, and I think she did not aim for anything less than it should be” Cindy said.
“We ask Telecom companies to explain how numbers which are not registered are still in use? We need answers from NIRA, UCC and Telecoms. Susan should get justice, her killers should be punished” Cindy cried.
Dorah Magara, Susan’s aunt described Susan as a responsible lady who loved God. “Her smile gave us an assurance that all was well. We cannot comprehend that someone can snatch our daughter from us” Dorah told mourners.
Former Prime Minister Henry Muganwa Kajura who spoke on behalf of the family, thanked all mourners who showed up to support them in the trying moment.
“Last Monday we had Mass at Christ the King Church, praying for Susan to return to us. We didn’t know we would welcome her in this form” he said, before asking Susan’s father to explain the last days of her life.
John Magara, Susan’s father gave a very touching story of her last days. “We have had difficult days from 7th Feb when we started looking for Susan. The days following became difficult. On the second day, they contacted my wife and said we are with Susan, they contacted her again and she started negotiating. At this point, I took charge.
In my mind, I thought I was talking to criminals, but as days went by, things became difficult, they took days without calling, we would wait, they had acquired new numbers. Ten day from yesterday, they delivered 2 of her fingers, they asked me to pick them and a recording where they had written a must see video which I handed to police. I didn’t watch it.
I then got a call from the president and he actively got involved, called everyday morning and evening, invited me to state house. I asked him to allow us go by demands of kidnappers.
We went for what they were asking for, delivered what they had asked for, we thought Susan would appear. We waited on Saturday, Sunday and Monday but she didn’t return.
When we found her body fresh, indicating she had just been killed the night before. Mr. Magara said.
Magara was kidnapped on February 7 at Kabaka Anjagala road as she was driving to her home in Lungujja, Lubaga Division. Social media messages were drafted by family and friends calling for any information about her kidnap.
Her body was later found on the Southern Bypass at Kitiko, a suburb located between Kigo and Kajjansi on Monday February 27th 2018. Now, Police investigators are in possession of an audio recording believed to be of one of the suspects in the kidnap and murder of the 28-year-old whose body was recovered on the.
Uganda Police Force has since pledged 100 million shillings as a reward to anyone who can identify the people behind the kidnap and eventual killing of Magara.
Addressing the media at the Police headquarters Naguru on Monday, AIGP Abbas Byakagaba asked that the public use toll free lines to inform police on any lead that they may have.
"We request the public to work with us. If anyone can identify the voice please contact us. Police will reward anyone who can positively identify the kidnapper," Byakagaba said.
Initially, the kidnappers had asked for a ransom of Shilling 60 million. In the first instance, the deceased's family was willing to pay the money but was stopped by the police.
Police immediately took the dumped hands for a DNA test to establish whether they belonged to Suzan Magara. The results from the DNA analysis, however, proved that the hands were not of Magara. But while addressing mourners this afternoon, Susan’s father said 2 fingers were missing from her body.
Other security agencies had since been asked to join police for the search of the 28 year old.
