In late 2019, I began following an unsolved murder case of a young woman who had her whole life ahead of her. Recently married and with budding career, her life was unceremoniously snuffed out by heartless murderers. She was 28 years old when she died. For some reason, this case became personal for me. I kept abreast with every new development. I was curious to see if this case would come to a logical conclusion.
In a country where only a fraction of criminal cases ever get resolved, this particular one turned out to be unique – in my opinion because the country had recently witnessed a spat of high-profile murders and the justice system was struggling to provide answers to citizens who were growing weary and uneasy about the security status of the country.
The President of the Republic of Uganda in 2021 issued an executive order mandating the purchase and installation of CCTV cameras that would be installed on all major roads and street corners across the country.
Maria Nagirinya’s unsolved murder perhaps was a catalyst that fast tracked the implementation of the CCTV directive. There was mounting pressure from the public and the press on the government to justify the colossal amount of money spent on this project by proving that the cameras indeed worked.
The cameras surely came through. After combing through CCTV footage, Police were able to release enhance images of the suspects who were seen on camera driving Maria’s car. It wasn’t long before arrests were made.
In October 2023, 6 suspects were sentenced to life in prison for their role in murdering the social worker. These include prime suspect Kasolo Copriam, Isaac Mutuwa, Johnson Lubega, Nasif Kalyango, Hassan Kiseka and Sharif Mpanga.
Four years later, justice has finally been served for Maria. I believe her family – myself inclusive have now received some sort of closure. May she continue Resting In Peace.
In 2019 after Maria’s death, I wrote this reflection:
Of Birthdays and Funerals
September 1st 2019
On Thursday, August 29th 2019 it happened to be my birthday. Coincidentally I was actually born on Thursday. I am not particularly excited about my own birthday and have a strong predisposition to forget it. If it weren’t for my bankers and mobile cell provider who like clock work send me a text to nudge me that I am one year closer to my death, I would forget the day.
But this birthday was particularly one that I couldn’t forget. Considering that I am now roughly the same age Jesus the Christ was when he died, it got me thinking and reflecting on my own life. This revered man had lived a relatively short but a purposeful and accomplished life.
So here I was wondering: I’m I living a purposeful life? Do I even know my life purpose? Do I have a vision for my life? What have I accomplished? How will I be remembered when my life on earth is over?
Someone reading this might be wondering why I am fussing and trying to compare my life with Jesus’. I am not Jesus after all right?
Interestingly, some of the world’s most revered and influential men and women lived for roughly 30 or there about years:
Alexander the Great, John the Baptist, Jesus the Christ, Ernesto Che Guevara, Thomas Sankara, Steve Biko, Stevie Ray, Princess Diana of Wales, Amelia Earhart to mention but a few lived what many would consider short lives.
So I guess I am justified to ask myself these questions and “benchmark” my life because I am in the zone. I decided to attempt and answer these Million Dollar questions, but I will not be sharing my answers today.
Recently I met an interesting person. I will call her Charlize. She daringly walked into my office and tried to convince me to take a life insurance policy. I told her I would think about it. After watching alot of crime documentaries on Investigation Discovery, I have this conviction that a life insurance policy makes you more valuable dead than alive.
So we kept talking about life in general. I discovered that her birthday is only 3 days apart from mine.
In total contrast to me, Charlize is absolutely excited about her birthday. The week leading up to her birthday is like the week leading up to a big concert, highly publicized and full of anticipation. Like a flu bug, I also caught the excitement and anticipation for her birthday. How come I am not as excited about my birthday? I have convinced myself it has to be a female species thing.
A day to my birthday she texted me asking whether I was excited about my forth-coming birthday. Her excitement got me thinking even more. Shouldn’t I be excited that tomorrow is supposed to be a milestone? Instead I chose to ponder over the Million Dollar questions.
My birthday turned out to be an interesting one. As the day came to a close, Charlize sent me a happy birthday text. She apologized for not getting in touch earlier.
“I am so sorry, I thought I would reach out earlier but I have been up and about. My sister went missing so we have been trying to find her, “she said. I was humbled. For me the thought counted even more.
After replying Charlize’s text, my mind shifted away from the Million Dollar questions I was trying to answer. Her sister was now my preoccupation. Who kidnapped her? Why was she kidnapped? Was she OK? Was she alive? Will she return home safe and sound? I closed my eyes and said a prayer for her.
The day after my birthday I saw a poster on social media. It was a frantic call to find Maria Nagirinya. “Who is Maria?”, I thought to myself.
I remembered Charlize had mentioned her sister was missing. I asked her if Maria was her sister and indeed she was.
In the last one or so years there has been a string of kidnappings of young women around Kampala. There have also been serial killings of young women in Entebbe and Nansana, all of which still remain largely unresolved and are almost cold cases. This, though, will be a story for another day.
With that in mind, I couldn’t stop thinking about Maria. Was she OK?
As the day came to an end I decided to check with Charlize. Perhaps Maria had been found and she was alive and well. I was hopeful.
Instead I got the response I was dreading. Maria was gone. Her lifeless body had been discovered dumped somewhere. My heart sunk. I felt like a tone of bricks had been hung from my heart. I had never met Maria but I felt I had a deep connection with her.
She was 28 years. Like me I can imagine she had dreams and was hopeful about tomorrow. But she died on the day I was born. Perhaps this is why I felt strongly connected to her.
I wonder if she had ever asked herself the same Million Dollar questions I have been pondering over:
Was she living a purposeful life? Did she even know her life purpose? Did she have a vision for her life? What had she accomplished? How did she want to be remembered when her life on earth was over? I most probably will never know.
As I stood and watched the undertakers carry Maria’s casket through the mammoth gathering, listening to the Priest say the last prayers as she was lowered into her grave,
I couldn’t help but imagine that Maria would want me to find my answers to the Million Dollar questions. So I have resolved to rediscover my life purpose: to live a meaningful life and live each day with passion like it was my last.
Today, September 1st 2019 is Charlize’s birthday. I pray she lives her life to the fullest and finds her own answers to these Million Dollar questions.
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