Written By | BK Mugizi
Casket containing late Abias body
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BUSHENYI
It was a sombre mood as family, friends, and residents gathered yesterday to lay to rest Abias Asiimwe Baryayanga, 58, a former Bushenyi Chief Finance Officer and businessman who was brutally murdered, his body burnt and concealed in the ceiling of his rental building in Kashenyi Trading Centre.
Asiimwe, a resident of Kyandango Cell, Ishaka Division in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, was buried at his ancestral home in the same area.
He was found dead on Sunday, April 19, 2026, a day after he went missing.
The deceased was last seen on Saturday at around 6:30 p.m. in Kashenyi Town, where he had gone to demand rent arrears from one of his tenants before disappearing.
One resident, who requested anonymity, said there had been tension between the deceased and the tenant over unpaid rent.
“There had been a dispute over about Shs 500,000. The businessman had been demanding payment for a long time,” the source said.
The burial service was led by the Bishop of West Ankole Diocese, Johnson Twinomujuni, who called for speedy justice.
“We urge the courts to expedite the trial of the suspects so that justice is delivered without delay,” he said.
Derrick Kabuura, the Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality Member of Parliament, linked the increasing cases of violent crime among the youth to the neglect of the boy child.
“There is a need for both government and parents to refocus on the upbringing of the boy child to curb such incidents,” Kabuura said.
Bishop Johnson Twinomujuni led the burial service
Murder and Discovery
According to family members, Asiimwe’s disappearance raised concern after he failed to return home, prompting a search. His brother, Nelson Atwine, said the family was alerted by his wife after repeated calls to his phone went unanswered.
The search ended at one of his rental properties in Kashenyi Trading Centre, where residents discovered bloodstains. Police later recovered his charred remains from the ceiling of the building.
Arrests
The Greater Bushenyi Police spokesperson, Apollo Tayebwa, confirmed that seven suspects had been arrested in connection with the murder and are being detained at Bushenyi Central Police Station.
He named the prime suspect as Aikiriza Clinton, a tenant. Others are Namusisi Bridget, Twinamatsiko Edgar, Mugisha Osward, Keminyeeto Hellen, Ainomugisha Arnold, and Ninsiima Sharon.
Police said one of the suspects, believed to be a tenant, was found hiding in the ceiling where the body had been concealed.
The Greater Bushenyi Regional Police Commander, Godfrey Achiria, said the case initially started as a missing person inquiry before being upgraded to murder.
“We were able to track down the suspects with the help of the community,” Achiria said.
He added that key exhibits, including a panga and a jerrican suspected to have contained petrol, were recovered. The suspects are expected to appear in court.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Asiimwe was killed before his body was set on fire, in what is believed to have been an attempt to destroy evidence. Police have not yet established the motive.
Profile
Asiimwe was a trained economist, former Bushenyi Chief Finance Officer, and businessman.
He studied at Mbarara High School and Ntare School before graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Makerere University in 1993. He later obtained a Master’s degree from Pondicherry University in 2001.
He served as Administrative Secretary and District Chief Finance Officer for Bushenyi District Local Government from 2006 to 2019 and had recently been elected chairperson of Kashenyi Town traders.
Family Speaks Out
His children described him as a strict but caring father who emphasized discipline, education, and faith.
His widow, Annet Nabaasa Asiimwe, said the loss was painful. “He did not die on a sickbed; he was killed,” she said.
