Death – Obituary – Accident and Crime News : Mbarara police are currently investigating two individuals who have been accused of stealing dead bodies. The suspects, Robert Mucunguzi, an employee at Urban Funeral Services, and Andrew Ainomugisha of Miles Funeral Services, were apprehended at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital on Thursday morning.
According to Halson Kagure, the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital Public Relations Officer, the duo was caught by the hospital security team as they roamed from ward to ward in search of potential clients who may have lost their loved ones. It has been discovered that the suspects have been operating by approaching caretakers in various hospitals and convincing them to hand over the bodies of their deceased relatives without following the proper hospital procedures.
Kagure explained that when a patient dies under hospital care, it is necessary for the body to pass through the mortuary for documentation after completing all the necessary procedures in the ward. However, the suspects confessed during their interrogation that they had been deployed by the owners of funeral homes to the hospital to target bodies of deceased patients before they were delivered to the mortuary. For successfully persuading relatives to snatch the bodies from the ward and take them directly to the funeral homes, the suspects claimed to be paid a commission of Sh.200,000.
Dr. Raymond Atwine, the head of the Pathology Department at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, blamed the funeral homes in Mbarara City for colluding with special hire drivers to carry out this illegal activity. He emphasized the importance of following the proper procedures, as failing to do so could pose a risk to the general public by potentially exposing them to infectious diseases that the deceased patient may have had.
The two suspects have been taken into custody and are currently assisting the police with their investigation. Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Region Police Spokesperson, condemned the actions of the funeral homes and expressed confidence that the ongoing crackdown would bring them to justice.
Dr. Celestine Barigye, the Hospital Director of Mbarara Referral Hospital and Regional Director of Health Services in Western Uganda, addressed the allegations of charging for mortuary services. He clarified that these services are provided free of charge and stated that the hospital was taking necessary measures to address any staff or outsider involved in smear campaigns.
The investigation into this case is ongoing, and the police are urging anyone with information related to fraudulent activities, corruption, or any other illegal practices to come forward and assist with their inquiries.