By Davis Mugabi

Masindi District on Sunday woke up to the shock of the death of the Acting District Health Officer (DH), Dr. Jino Abiriga, 58.

On Saturday, he left home at 8 am to attend a friend’s wedding. By 8:30 pm, he was dropped home by his driver, and by 10pm, he and his wife entered the bedroom.

However, on Sunday morning, his body was discovered in a pool of blood outside their gated home, located at Kijura cell, central division in Masindi municipality.

His wife and two stepchildren are among the four suspects in custody.

For hours now, the social media has been awash with reports of a property battle between the deceased and Betty Cherotic, 31. Cherotic was Dr. Abiriga’s wife. In the marriage, Cherotic, a teacher by profession, came with two children from her previous relationship. Dr. Abiriga, too, had a son from the previous marriage. Out of the four children, non belongs to them as a couple.

Insiders say that, given the fact that Cherotic has older children, it is possible that their eyes could have been on the property. 

Prior to her arrest, Cherotic told investigators that, while they went to bed at 10pm, her husband received an emergency call to go and attend to a patient. The Police say that so far, there is no evidence to support Cherotic’s claim. Meanwhile, blood was traced from where the body was dumped back to the bedroom. Cherotic claims that the blood is a result of her monthly menstrual cycle.

“We wish to inform the public, that no matter how well, a cover up is made surrounding the heinous act, we will uncover the truth. Our team of forensic experts, recovered blood stains and other samples for forensic analysis that will help establish, whether the victim was murdered from his house or elsewhere and the body dumped near his home,” Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga told the media in Kampala on Monday.