Man Arrested After Machete Attack on Brother’s Wife, One-Year-Old Child

Man Arrested After Machete Attack on Brother’s Wife, One-Year-Old Child

A 30-year-old man has been arrested in Sembabule after allegedly attacking his brother’s wife and her one-year-old daughter, severing the child’s foot.

Police in Sembabule District have arrested a 30-year-old man accused of attacking his brother’s wife with a machete and severely injuring her one-year-old daughter.

The attack left the child, identified as one-year-one-month-old Nisha Akakunda, with her right leg severed.

Nisha and her mother, 19-year-old Faith Kamusiime, residents of Kyera Village in Kinoni Sub-county, Lwemiyaga, were receiving treatment at Life Care Medical Centre in Lwemiyaga Town after sustaining serious machete wounds.

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Kamusiime alleges that her brother-in-law, Yoweri Muhweezi, attacked them following a disagreement involving his mother, Violet Musingye.

“The man attacked me when I was at my mother-in-law’s home. He first told me not to pass in his compound, yet I had not done anything to provoke him.”

Kamusiime said the confrontation started after her mother-in-law brought a traditional healer to the home, a move she said Muhweezi opposed.

She said she had gone to help with household chores and had just finished slaughtering a chicken for visitors when she found Muhweezi arguing with his mother.

“He called the traditional healers thieves. My mother-in-law told him to leave her alone because the money was hers, not Muhweezi's money. That is where he found me after I had finished slaughtering the chicken, and he started attacking me with a machete.”

Kamusiime said Muhweezi first slapped her while she was inside the house before following her outside with a machete.

“He first slapped me while I was inside the house, even though I had not said anything to him. I ran out to save myself and hid, but he picked up a machete and came after me. I told him, ‘Please stop, I have not done anything wrong to you,’ but he refused and cut me with a machete on the eye.”

She said she tried to defend herself when Muhweezi launched another attack, but the machete struck her daughter, whom she was carrying on her back.

“When he came again, he wanted to cut me on the neck. I turned and he pushed me away. I was carrying my child on my back and I fell. When I fell, he tried to cut me around the waist, but the machete struck my baby’s foot and cut it off.”

Kamusiime said the severed part of the child’s foot was handed over to police as an exhibit.

She appealed to well-wishers, government leaders and other people to help raise funds for her daughter’s treatment and ensure that justice is served.

“My child was born without any problem, but now she has been left disabled when she had done nothing wrong. I appeal to ministers, Members of Parliament, the President and all well-wishers to help me get treatment for my child. I have no money for treatment because I am also in pain and cannot work.”

Residents of Kyera condemned the attack, describing it as brutal and unacceptable.

Abubakar Kato said the community was shocked that a family dispute had escalated into an attack on a woman and a child.

“We condemn this incident because a machete was used to attack a woman and then the child was also cut and left disabled. We condemn this act and appeal to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to come to the aid of this woman.”

Dr Gilbert Mwebesa, the medical officer treating the victims, said their injuries require further medical attention.

“These patients need antibiotics and other treatment to ensure that their wounds do not become infected.”

The incident also attracted the attention of Lwemiyaga Member of Parliament Emmanuel Rwashande, who provided an ambulance to transfer the victims to a higher-level health facility for further treatment.

Rwashande called for a thorough police investigation and prosecution of the suspect in accordance with the law.

“From what I have seen, the police must do everything possible to ensure that this man is arrested and dealt with according to the law. This is an attempted murder case, and we cannot allow such acts to go unpunished.”

He further appealed to police to ensure that the suspect faces justice.

“We ask the police to arrest him and let the law take its course because we have seen what he has done to the child and the mother.”

Masaka Regional Police spokesperson Twaha Kasirye confirmed that Muhweezi is in police custody.

“He is in our cells and is being charged with attempted murder. We condemn this act and assure the public that the suspect will be prosecuted.”

Police said investigations into the circumstances surrounding the attack are ongoing.