Septic tank murder: The Brenda Karamuzi case [Part 1: The Disappearance]

A disturbing courtroom exhibit. A hoe displayed as the alleged murder weapon. A young woman found hidden in a septic tank. In this episode of New Vision CSI: Crime Stories, we revisit the Brenda Karamuzi case. (PART 1)

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I've been looking at the picture of a hole that was allegedly used to kill Brenda Karamuze. It's on page 4 of the new vision published on Monday, May 23rd, 2011. The image is chilling. The hole looks worn out and blunt with two nails fastening the handle to the shaft and an exhibit number on it. It's being held in display by a gentleman in a grey suit, blue tie, and wearing gloves. The caption reads, a hole allegedly used by Nkurunjira to kill Karamuzi being displayed at the high court. The new vision was reporting about new evidence pinning Tonko in septic tank murder. In this episode of the New Vision CSI Crime Stories, we revisit the septic tank murder case. On the morning of Saturday, January 30th, 2010, what began as an ordinary day at a rental property in Kijuazon, Bukasa Mayenga, would soon become the scene of one of Uganda's most disturbing murder investigations. A fumigator had been called to work on a septic tank at the residence rented by Thomas Nkurunjira, better known as Tonko. But as work began, something was terribly wrong. Inside the septic tank lay the decomposing body of a young woman. She was later identified as 27-year-old Brenda Karamuzi. The discovery stunned police, devastated her family, and set in motion an investigation that would dominate courtrooms and newspaper headlines for years. By the time the case reached the High Court, prosecutors would allege that Brenda had been murdered inside Tonku's house before her body was hidden in the septic tank. Tonku denied the accusation from the very beginning, insisting he was innocent. The investigation that followed relied on witness testimony, forensic evidence, DNA analysis, mobile phone records, and conflicting accounts that would be examined over months of hearings. According to evidence later presented before the High Court in Kampala, the events leading to Brenda's death began days before her body was discovered. On Wednesday, January 20, 2010, Brenda visited her mother, Joy Karamuzi, at her shop in Kampala. Later that day, mother and daughter traveled together to the family home in Deje, Namasuba, in what is now Machinde Sabagabu Municipality, Wakiso District. Joy Karamuzi would later tell court that Brenda spent the night at home. The following morning, Thursday, January 21st, Joy left Brenda at the house. Brenda had told her mother she intended to return to where she had been staying so she could collect clothes ahead of a job interview at a telecommunications company. At the time, Brenda was unemployed. She was renting a house in Nagera together with a friend identified in court as Marcy Mutony. That same day, Brenda spent much of her time with another close friend, Carol Nivarungi, at Walker's house in Kampala. The two remained together until around 5 p.m. When they parted, Brenda explained her plans. She told Carol she intended to spend the night at Tonko's residence because he had promised to take her early the following morning to the place where she expected to attend a job interview. According to Carol's testimony, that was the last time she ever saw Brenda alive. As investigators reconstructed Brenda's final movements, another account emerged during the defense case. Tonku maintained that Brenda had earlier requested accommodation at his residence for about a week while she sorted out personal issues. According to his defense, she had said misunderstandings with friends she had been living with forced her to seek temporary shelter elsewhere. Tonku told court he allowed her to stay at his residence beginning on January 18, 2010, where, according to his account, she also met one of his friends, Peter Cassede. He maintained throughout the trial that he last saw and spoke to Brenda on January 22nd, 2010. The prosecution, however, would present a very different picture. As Brenda's family waited to hear from her, concern quickly turned into fear. Joy Karamuzi testified that she expected Brenda to return on January 21st and again on January 22nd, but she never came. She repeatedly called Brenda's mobile phone. It was switched off. Initially, family members hoped it was simply a network problem. Joy contacted Brenda's father and brother. They suggested the phone could have lost network coverage, but as the hours passed, the silence became increasingly worrying. Friends were contacted, relatives began making inquiries, still nobody knew where Brenda was. According to evidence presented during trial, January 25, 2010 marked the point when Brenda was formally regarded as missing. Carol Nibarungi and Brenda's sister, Amelia Karamuzi, decided to call Tonku directly. They wanted to know whether Brenda was still with him. According to their testimony, Thu told them he had not seen Brenda on January 21st or January 22nd. He said they had arranged to meet in Kabalagala on the evening of January 23rd, but when he tried calling both of Brenda's telephone numbers that evening, they were switched off. He advised the family to search hospitals or even the city mortuary. Days later, the worst fears of Brenda's family became reality. On Saturday, January 30th, 2010, police contacted Joy Karamoze with devastating news. Her daughter's body had been found inside a septic tank at Tonku's residence in Bukasa Muyenga. Joy traveled to Mulago City Mochori. There she identified the body. According to her testimony, Brenda had sustained wounds to the head and neck together with cuts around the nose. The discovery immediately transformed what had been a missing person inquiry into a homicide investigation. Police descended on the residents. The property became the center of intense forensic examination. Investigators recovered several exhibits, including three handbags belonging to Brenda that had been concealed in the ceiling of the house. Attention quickly focused on Thomas Nkurunjira, the tenant of the property where the body had been found. Also arrested were his shamba boy, Fred Sempija, and another man, Chris Bagaruka, who happened to be at the residence when police arrived. Tonku would later explain to court that Bagaruka was eventually released on bond. Sempija, according to the defense, was initially treated as a potential state witness before investigators later changed cause and charged him alongside Tonku with murder. On February 5th, 2010, Thomas Nkurunjira was formally charged with murder. The prosecution alleged that between January 21st and January 30th, 2010, at Kijuazone, Bukasa, in March India Division Kampala, Tku and Fred Sempija unlawfully caused Brenda Karamuzi's death before concealing her body inside the septic tank. From the outset, Tku denied the charge. He maintained that he was not at the scene when Brenda was allegedly killed. Instead, he claimed he had been with friends while making funeral arrangements for Arias Kajimo, a friend who had died in the United States. That claim would later become the cornerstone of his defense. As investigators continued piecing together Brenda's final moments, they turned to forensic science and telecommunications records. Those findings would become some of the prosecution's strongest evidence, and they would form the next chapter in one of Uganda's most closely watched murder trials. In part two of this investigation, we look at the MTN Phone Records, DNA evidence, forensic testimony, Joy Mary Narku's evidence, Fred Sempija's charge, and caution statements, and how the prosecution built its case before the High Court.